13 Random Chance
by Margaret Price
Summary: The Doctor wants to do a little research, Mel wants a little vacation, Prince Jason wants to forget the past. And...just who is Grant Markham, anyway? Everyone is blissfully going their separate ways. The Universe has other plans. 6th Doctor
1. Under Attack

Random Chance © 2003-5 Margaret Price

This is a 6th Doctor story that fits inside the timeline created in "The Transmutation of Time" series. Chronologically, it takes place 10 years after "The New Argonauts." For the Doctor, it follows "The Will of Ormril."

I know. I like complex plotlines. This is the longest story that I have written so far, so you can imagine that it will be quite intricate. I hope I don't lose anyone along the way.

* * *

**RANDOM CHANCE**

**BY MARGARET PRICE**

_RANDOM: _adj : aimless

_CHANCE_: n **: **the unpredictable element in existence

"The universe, indeed the entire multiverse, is founded upon the most extraordinary coincidences."

—The Doctor, _Business Unusual_

**CHAPTER 1**

**UNDER ATTACK**

_In the far reaches of the galaxy, an ancient race on an equally ancient planet had gone undetected by the spacecraft moving through the nearby trade lanes. The protective barrier surrounding the planet had kept it hidden from the sensors of all save the most advanced races for untold centuries. _

_An enormous fortress dominated the center of its sprawling capital city that spread out as far as the eye could see. Once a stronghold against attack, the massive forbidding stone structure had been transformed into a stronghold of justice and the seat of planetary government. Far below the common areas, nestled among storage areas and forgotten archives, was an equally forgotten vault that contained a device that, centuries ago, had made the people of this world the most renowned race of their time. The room was as old as the building itself and patiently waited for someone to rediscover its secrets. Like the people who had created it, the device was all but a distant memory. An echo in the cosmos._

_Forgotten…until now._

_Two brothers silently crept through the massive doors: the oldest just twenty, the other barely sixteen. The latter looked around __the darkened room as they entered. Their brightly colored knee length tunics seemed dull in the all-enveloping darkness, their dark olive colored skin making them almost invisible. _

_In the center of the floor, dominating the room was __an __enormous block of ornately carved stonework, an opaque half-globe rising out of its center. Affixed to each corner of the block was a podium, and attached to that, about a __metre__ above the floor, was a chair that allowed the occupant an unobstructed view of the globe. _

_As the pair drew nearer, the globe started to hum faintly, unnerving the younger of the two. "They're going to catch us, l'X'el," he said uneasily, looking nervously around the room._

"_No, they're not. I told you, the manipulator creates a time shift when it's activated," l'X'el replied firmly. He touched a switch at the side of the stone block and the globe started to glow in response. "Besides," he went on as he climbed into one of the seats, "nobody ever comes down here anymore." He tried to sound nonchalant, unwilling to admit to his brother K'ell'k that he was even more afraid than he was._

_K'ell'k moved closer to the device and was startled to discover that while the globe lit the area around itself in a dull yellow glow, it did not illuminate him. No matter how close he leaned in, he remained in the shadowy blackness of the room. Looking up, he saw his brother's pale eyes glowing in the darkness, reflecting the glow of the globe. "I don't like this," he said nervously, unsuccessfully pushing his long black dreadlocks out of his face. "It's eerie."_

"_You don't have to like it. Just watch and stop worrying."_

"_If we get caught…"_

"_We won't," l'X'el replied firmly. He tied back his own mass of shoulder-length dread-locks before setting to work. "Now be quiet, I need to concentrate. I have a lot of information to load." He looked along the side of the seemingly blank desktop before him, touching the activation switch. The surface changed from a wood-grain finish to a computer entry station. Giving a satisfied grunt, he pulled a sheaf of paper out of his shirt and spread it out on the desktop, smoothing out the wrinkles with his hands. He threw his brother a quick sideways glance he hoped was reassuring before he starting entering the data into the computer._

* * *

The Earth Republic light cruiser _SILVER TRIUMPH_ moved swiftly through the emptiness of space, each passing second bringing it nearer to the end of its mission. It was flanked by four heavily armed battle cruisers and was followed, at a discreet distance, by seven smaller and distinctly different spaceships. The five main ships were part of a diplomatic mission delivering the leader of a crucial summit meeting and his entourage to Earth.

"Captain Rayburn, I feel I owe you an apology for taking so long to compliment you and your crew," Prince Jason said as he stepped onto the bridge. "I know the preparations for this summit have been a pain in the neck and I appreciate your putting up with all the diplomatic nonsense. I'm sure you'd rather be doing something more exciting than acting as my mobile base of operations and glorified tour bus."

Rayburn turned to his Royal passenger, a startled look coming to his face. In the past three weeks he had had very little contact with the Alterran Prince other than to verify their next destination, and even then there had been upwards of six other members from various delegations present, usually going over itineraries, agendas or what-have-you while he was trying to communicate with his Royal passenger. Their last stop had seen all the delegates save Prince Jason leave the ship and the Captain was surprised to see him in a plain blue jumpsuit rather than the elaborate Royal finery he had worn since his arrival. He wondered if this meant the Prince was not one to place himself above others simply because he'd had a privileged birth. Had he been able to get to know him better, the Captain would have discovered this observation to be completely accurate.

"Thank-you, Ambassador. We aim to please," he replied at last, venturing, "I understand from your pilot that your Emperor wants you to make an impressive entrance. And I dare say, you wouldn't've been able to do that in the shuttle that delivered you."

The Prince laughed and nodded in agreement. "That's true. But don't let the _ARGO_'s appearance fool you; she only looks like a shuttle. She's my own personal transport and I've had her engines modified to accommodate the distances I have to travel. She has an impressive turn of speed, if I do say so myself."

"Does she now?"

Rayburn's tone made Jason smile. "I noticed some modification in the plating in the passenger cabin and had a look at the _TRIUMPH_'s specs. She's not just another pretty face either, is she?" he said admiringly.

The Captain's eyebrows went up, his admiration for his passenger moving up a notch or two. "No sir," he replied proudly. "The _SILVER TRIUMPH_can hold her own against any of those so called swift cruisers. She's got triple reinforced plating, special external shielding and an engine that can best the speed of your _ARGO _anytime."

"Really? I'd love to take you up on that when this is over."

"Anytime. My engineer got himself borrowed by another transport. Already on Earth by now, I expect. I'll pass on your request. He's always ready to show off what his little modifications can do."

Jason flashed a smile before becoming serious again. "What's our ETA to Earth?"

"At present course and speed, two hours fourteen minutes, sir," the navigator replied, adding quickly, "Er, I mean, Mr. Ambassador."

The Alterran gave a wry smile. "Sir will do fine, Ensign."

"It isn't a problem, us delivering you a day ahead of schedule, is it?" the Captain asked with a grin.

Jason grinned back. "I'm sure I can find something to do in the interim. How many did we end up with in this mini-armada, anyway?"

"Including us, twelve, sir," the Captain replied, puzzled by the suspicious edge that had suddenly crept into the Alterran's voice. "We picked up another tagalong at the last outpost."

The Prince turned to the sensor array, the tactical officer moving aside slightly to allow him to study the readings. "Are they armed?" he asked, glancing at the officer.

"Only defensive weaponry, sir," the officer replied.

"They appear to be keeping their distance," Jason observed, looking up for verification.

The tactical officer nodded. "We've been keeping an eye on them, sir."

"We?"

"Our rear escorts have been monitoring their movements and keeping us apprised of any unusual deviations. Nothing so far."

"Which ship is my entourage on?" Jason wanted to know, looking back at the screen.

Before the officer could reply, a light on the console started blinking for attention. It was accompanied by an alarm and he touched a button to silence it. "Sorry, sir. They're in the first ship to the right of the screen," he informed, nodding at the main view screen. "We also seem to have a couple more tagalongs waiting for us up ahead."

Jason followed his gaze, seeing an asteroid field directly in their path. It set off the alarm that had been quietly ticking down in his head. "It's a trap!" The words were out of his mouth before he realized he had spoken them. "Get us out of here! Now!"

Apparently the same alarm was sounding in the Captain Rayburn's head. "Raise shields! Ensign, reverse course!" he ordered at the same time.

Before the Captain finished speaking, more than a dozen smaller ships suddenly appeared from the asteroid field and opened fire. The _SILVER TRIUMPH_ was hit by the initial volley but remained undamaged, the Captain's boast of the extra shielding holding true. The armed escort ships moved into a protective formation, exchanging fire with the unknown attackers and allowing the _SILVER TRIUMPH_ to move out of the formation to make a run for it. They were immediately cut off by more ships that appeared from behind.

"What the hell do they want?" the navigator gasped.

"Isn't it obvious?" Jason called over the growing noise. "To stop us getting to Earth." He had moved up behind the Captain's command chair and was now watching the battle on the main screen.

"I don't think it's that grandiose," the Captain replied. "They're probably Sharks."

The group he referred to were a combination of scrap traders and pirates. With no real conflicts occurring at the time, wreckage had grown scarce and with so few derelicts the Sharks had started to create their own, attacking any unsuspecting craft or small group. The cargo would be taken and sold off, the ships gutted and cut up for scrap, and any survivors sold into slavery.

"I've never heard of them hitting a group larger than four ships," Jason observed. "And nothing with the firepower our escort is packing."

"They must've been after our tagalongs."

"Then why didn't they let us pass first?" Jason demanded as the smaller more maneuverable ships disabled two of his escorts with conspicuous ease. Shaking his head, he concluded, "Those are definitely _not_Sharks." His eyes fell on a section of space ahead and he had a flash of inspiration, pointing to the area on the screen. "Why don't we see how maneuverable this ship is, huh, Captain? Think you can do a nose dive to that point there?"

Seeing what he had in mind, Rayburn nodded. "Risky, but worth a try." He turned to the navigator, giving the order. "That'll give 'em a run for their money."

Some of the attacking ships were moving in for the kill when the _SILVER TRIUMPH_ suddenly dropped and spun away, plummeting several hundred kilometres before leveling off and streaking into an opening in the asteroid field.

"We did it!" the navigator enthused unbelievingly.

"Don't start celebrating yet," the Captain snapped tersely. "We have to keep from being pulverized first. I want this ship ready to make the jump to light speed the second we clear the asteroid field. After we put a few light years between us and them, _then_ you can start celebrating." He glanced over his shoulder at the Prince, whose fingers were digging into the back of his chair, his knuckles white.

"Personally, Captain," Jason said quietly, the serious look on his face unchanged, "I'm not celebrating until we set down on Earth. I have a very bad feeling about all this."


	2. Nightmare Ride

**CHAPTER 2**

**NIGHTMARE RIDE**

"_Finished! And not a moment too soon," l'X'el said as the last of his entries was made. He sat back and stretched, rubbing the back of his neck. "That'll bring him."_

"_Bring? You're trying to bring someone __here?__" K'ell'k was incredulous. "Lix, the barrier blinds the outside universe to—" He broke off when his brother gave him a cold look, the glow from the globe only serving to make him look more intimidating. Correcting himself quickly, he said, "The barrier _used _to blind the outside universe to us."_

"_A Time Lord could find us, Kay, even with the barrier running properly."_

_K'ell'k was less than impressed. "So what? The Time Lords don't interfere anymore than the Grand Council does."_

"_You're forgetting about the Doctor," l'X'el reminded._

"_The Doctor? Why would he want to come here?"_

"_Because I'm going to make it impossible for him not to."_

_K'ell'k gave his brother a dubious look. "The Doctor is smarter than you, Lix. He'll know what you're doing before you even do it."_

"_You think so?" l'X'el said mildly. "Look at the manipulator." The globe between them changed from opaque to clear, the image of the fleeing SILVER TRIUMPH appearing in it._

"_It's a ship. Under attack, by the look of it," came the bland observation._

"_That's the one I'm going have the manipulator—"_

"_It won't work," K'ell'k broke in firmly. "You'll never be able to—"_

"_No, Kay, it's perfect," l'X'el rejoined sharply. "Its interior has been modified to withstand considerably greater force than the original design."_

"_Lix, you'll never be able to protect the whole ship."_

"_I only intend to protect one person, not the whole ship."_

"_Why just one person?"_

"_He's the Ambassador."_

"_The Amb—?" K'ell'k scowled and then his eyes grew wide. "You don't mean__Ambassador Krystovan! Lix, what are you getting us mixed up in?"_

"_Yes, I __**do**__ mean Ambassador Krystovan," his brother countered. "I found out he's not human. He can withstand much greater forces than humans. If he survives, the Doctor will come." l'X'el had also discovered several other things about Jason, one of which was that he was telepathic. This only increased his suitability as it made it easier for the machinery to zero in on his exact location._

"_This is crazy!" K'ell'k exclaimed. "Ambassador or not, why would the Doctor be interested in the survivor of a crashed spaceship?"_

"_I can think of two reasons right off. First is the time factor. I'm gong to move the ship out of this time zone. The second is he's…um, acquainted with the Ambassador."_

_K'ell'k frowned. "Isn't that an awfully big coincidence?"_

"_The Doctor's very existence hinges on coincidences like this," l'X'el stated knowingly. "Random encounters, chance visits…"_

_K'ell'k sighed, unable to think of any further objections. l'X'el had enlisted his brother's assistance to play Devil's advocate to make certain he did not overlook anything. Knowing of nothing else to do, K'ell'k moved to the opposite podium to sit down._

"_Whatever you do, don't touch the control board," l'X'el admonished sharply. "It's taken me weeks to get everything to this point. It's now or never."_

_K'ell'k gave him a dark look, having had no intention of interfering with his brother's work. He turned his attention to the globe as his brother manipulated the controls. The display moved in on the section of the asteroid field toward which the SILVER TRIUMPH was heading. Unseen by the occupants of the ship, the section of space was starting to distort._

* * *

Jason had moved from behind the Captain's command chair to the door leading to the outer passageway. He had been told to return to the passenger cabin but had become enthralled by the activity on the bridge and stood watching in admiration.

After escaping into the asteroid field, Captain Rayburn had ordered the ship brought to a halt. The navigator concentrated on keeping the ship steady, avoiding the chaos of floating boulders around them. The tactical officer reported long-range sensors inoperative, possibly due to a high concentration of radiation within asteroid field. The Captain gave a satisfied grunt upon hearing this. "If we can't see them, then they can't see us," he replied, his stratagem being to make the attacking ships believe they had been pulverized.

Of course, they could not remain hidden forever. After more than twelve hours the Captain had the navigator turn the ship around and plot a course out of the asteroid field. After what seemed like forever, the _SILVER TRIUMPH_exited the field very close to the point where it had entered. Just as it was pulling clear, the entire bridge suddenly seemed to distort.

Jason turned sharply as the bulkhead he was leaning against actually moved beneath his fingers. He stared open mouthed at the metal, watching as it continued to distort, snapping back to normal a split second later. "Did anybody else feel that?" he gasped. He received no reply, his words lost in the sound of the engines powering up.

The attacking ships suddenly appeared all around them, their game of hide and seek having fooled no one. Rayburn gave the order to make the jump to light speed the same instant the enemy fired.

What happened next was a nightmare ride for the occupants of the fleeing ship.

As the fabric of space/time opened for the jump to light speed, the energies of the weapons flooded into the already warping section of space, sucking the _SILVER TRIUMPH_ in.

"Wormhole!" the navigator screamed as the world suddenly turned upside down and inside out at the same time.

"Sir, you must go to the passenger cabin and strap in," the Captain called to Prince Jason over the noise.

"But I can help here," the Prince countered. "I have more flight time than—"

"_Mister Ambassador_," Captain Rayburn cut in sharply, "your mission is more important than any one of us here. Now please, do as I ask. _My_ mission is to keep you alive."

Jason gave him a long, steady look before nodding. The Captain was right and he knew it. His mission was far too important to jeopardize with any heroics and to this he admitted. "It has been an honor to know you, Captain Rayburn," he said solemnly to the startled officer before he stepped back and sealed the door to the bridge. He had to struggle to get to the passenger compartment where he wrestled his way to his seat. As soon as he had strapped himself in he switched on the monitor beside him. Even if he could not be on the bridge he could at least see what was happening.

The screen had no sooner come to life than the ship started spinning, which would not have made much difference had the internal stabilizers not completely failed at the same time. Cabinets and wall lockers flew open, spewing their contents into the air. As the ship went more and more out of control the debris turned into projectiles, bounced off of the walls, floor, and Alterran Prince. Then the internal gravity failed, much to Jason's relief, and the projectiles were transformed into harmless floating debris.

On the bridge the fight to regain control of the ship continued for what seemed an eternity. Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the wormhole started to dissipate. Now the crew had another problem on their hands. They found themselves entering the gravity field of a large planet with unresponsive instruments. To their further horror, another craft abruptly appeared beneath them on a decent trajectory to the planet below. The sensors yielded enough information for the tactical officer to speculate it to be a drone on an unpowered decent. Despite their best efforts, the ships bumped. The smaller more delicate craft was sent spinning into the planet's atmosphere where it broke apart. The _SILVER TRIUMPH_ bounced back into the wormhole, popping out a few seconds later. Another piece of space debris in low orbit suddenly appeared on the main screen.

Jason watched helplessly as they barely missed striking the satellite, or whatever it was, and continued to bounce along the planet's outer atmosphere. He suddenly realized that he was twisting the wedding ring on his left hand and pulled it off, reading the inscription engraved inside. He gave the ring a kiss. "I'm sorry, my love," he whispered, clasping the gold band in his fist. "This mission wasn't supposed to be dangerous." Drawing a deep breath, he leaned back in his seat, turning his attention to the monitor and the view of the planet's surface, which was approaching much too fast for his liking.

What the Prince could not see was the affect the temporal distortion had had on his human crew, who had aged considerably in the short time they were inside the wormhole, their bodies becoming weaker and frailer by the second. Within the confines of the passenger cabin, and protected by l'X'el's time bubble, Prince Jason was spared from this effect, not that he would have aged quite so dramatically. He was actually young for an Alterran, his lifespan counted in centuries rather than individual years as with his human counterparts.

As the outer hull grew hotter and hotter, all the occupants of the _SILVER TRIUMPH_ could do was pray they would be able to land rather than crash on the planet's surface.


	3. Temporal Surfing

**CHAPTER 3**

**TEMPORAL SURFING**

The Doctor was under the control console trying very hard to look busy. Across the room his companion Mel was watching him in annoyance. The petite redhead looked as if she were about to begin teaching an aerobics class as she stood leaning against an exercise bike, which she had been trying to get the Time Lord to use for the past few minutes. She was bound and determined to get his weight down whether he liked it or not.

The Doctor had opted for not.

"Come on, Doctor," Mel said enthusiastically. "Five minutes. It'll do your cardiovascular system a world of good."

The Doctor winced and added this to the long list of reasons why he had tried to avoid meeting Miss Melanie Bush, none the least of which was to avoid what seemed the inevitable reality that he would become the Valyard, the twisted creature of evil he had seen at his mock trial. His current objection, however, stemmed from something far less depressing. It was the fact that at times his companion could be a little too perky for his liking.

The Doctor threw a quick glance in her direction and shook his head. "No, sorry, too busy," he replied tersely, returning to his hiding place beneath the console.

"Now, Doc—"

Mel's admonition was cut off when the TARDIS shook violently. She was thankful she was holding on to the bike, otherwise she would have been thrown to the floor.

The Doctor bounced to his feet and was studying the instruments before his shaken companion knew what had happened. The TARDIS shook again, and he automatically grabbed the console to stay on his feet, his eyes darting from one instrument to another. "It's a localized temporal disturbance!" he gasped in a delighted tone. "Mel, do you know how rare these are?"

Another violent shudder threw Mel into the console as she was trying to cross the room and she grabbed hold to keep from being thrown into the wall the next time. "Not rare enough if you ask me," she replied shakily.

The Doctor didn't seem to hear her. "I've always wanted to study one of these," he said gleefully, rubbing his hands together. "Fancy a little temporal surfing?"

"_What?"_ came the horrified reply.

"If I can do this right, we can surf along its length and find out where it's going."

"Or where it's been."

The Doctor scowled. "No, no, I'm sure we're traveling in the right direction." His hands flew over the controls as he spoke. The violent shaking slowly subsided to be replaced by a gentle rolling motion as though they were traveling on the open sea. "Now, let's have a look at you," he said as he activated the scanner.

The shutters opened to reveal an image that made Mel's mouth drop open. She was used to seeing the swirling image from inside the vortex, but this looked like the vortex had been turned inside out, the colors folding in on themselves to form a single tube that twisted and bucked like a rope being shaken at one end. The TARDIS skimmed along its surface, shuddering slightly whenever it got too close to the band of erratic temporal energy. "That's your temporal disturbance, is it?" she asked, becoming more fascinated by the second. "What caused it?"

"That's a very good question," the Doctor replied. "There are several theories, but few have ever attempted to get near enough to find out. They're not exactly the tamest of phenomenon."

"You mean they're dangerous."

Picking up the edge in his companion's voice, the Doctor smiled broadly. "Oh, we're safe enough. If the TARDIS can withstand the stresses of moving in and out of vortex, a little temporal distortion won't even scratch the paint. Especially since we happen to be on the outside."

"Doctor, what exactly _is _a temporal distortion? Twisted time?"

Clearly impressed, the Doctor glanced up, his face aglow. "That's a very good analogy, Mel. Twisted time. I'll have to remember that." He returned his attention to the console. "The theory is it's a rouge time eddy from the vortex that twists out of control in a tight band for a short time and then dissipates when it runs out of energy."

Still hanging onto the console incase the TARDIS decided to start shaking again, Mel observed, "Sounds a bit like a tornado."

"Well, they do call them _twisters_, don't they?"

* * *

"_I didn't think you were __ever__ going to find him," K'ell'k said in an exasperated tone as the image of the TARDIS appeared within the globe._

"_It took longer than I thought, but that doesn't affect anything. Let's just hope_…._" l'X'el's voice trailed off as the TARDIS started to bounce along the length of the temporal distortion. "Ha! That's got his attention. I told you he'd come."_

"_He's not here yet," his brother pointed out sourly. "In fact, he's not even on Earth yet. And, I might add, neither is the Ambassador."_

_l'X'el was so caught up in what he was watching that he momentarily lost track of what he was supposed to be doing, which was controlling the final destination of the temporal distortion. A loud beep from the computer brought him back to reality with a jolt and he struggled with the console a moment before sitting back, a sigh of relief escaping him as the SILVER TRIUMPH exited the end of the temporal corridor, the TARDIS not far behind. "There, you see? Earth," he said as though everything were perfectly normal._

_K'ell'k was not taken in. "I saw alright. You almost ruined everything mishandling the temporal corridor. I thought you said you knew how to use this thing."_

"_I do!" l'X'el snapped defensively. "Now be quiet while I get everything stabilized."_

* * *

The colorful image on the viewer suddenly vanished, as did the delighted expression on the Doctor's face. He scowled down at the console, flipping switches and twisting dials, apparently to no avail. "Blast!" he exclaimed. "Lost it."

"Lost the temporal disturbance?"

"No. Lost the position of the termination point." The Time Lord thumped the console in frustration. "How am I going to properly collate the data without a termination point?" He continued to struggle with the console, moving quickly from panel to panel. "Perhaps I can narrow it down—" He broke off, stopping in his tracks and scowling down at the readings. "That's odd. It's moved."

"What's so odd about that?" Mel wanted to know. "It was moving an awful lot while we were following it."

"No, no, no," the Doctor said without looking up, shaking his mop of blond curls. "It seems to've…bounced. Jumped back a few years from where it was originally." Looking up, his eyes were practically dancing with excitement. "They're not supposed to do that."

"Can you still find the termination point, then?"

"I can try."

Mel turned to see where they were, the image on the viewer not what she expected. "Doctor, that's Earth out there."

"I know," he replied absently. "It's bounced at the end here too! Skipped along two months or so. Incredible! I think I can narrow down the termination to a two week—"

"Doctor!" the exasperated Mel exclaimed, leaning close to his face to make certain she had gained his full attention. "Don't you think I might've been interested in knowing this temporal whatsis ended on the front doorstep of my home planet?"

The Time Lord gave her an injured look. "Your home planet isn't in any danger from this temporal _whatsis_, Mel. It's already dissipated."

His companion grudgingly accepted this and straightened, throwing a quick glance back at the scanner screen. "Okay, we know where we are. Do you know _when_ we are?"

The Doctor gave her an irritated look through his eyelashes before glancing at the readings. He scowled at them a moment before looking up. "Best guess, late twentieth or early twenty-first century. That's the best I can do until I clear the feedback from the temporal disturbance."

Mel gave him an irritated look of her own. Then a sudden thought struck her and she turned back to the image on the viewer. She had not been traveling with the Doctor for long, only a few months, but it was still long enough for her to see how erratic the TARDIS was. It was also long enough for her to realize that she might not get the chance to visit her own time zone again for a very long time. The Doctor was already muttering something about tracking down the termination point of his illusive temporal disturbance, which apparently had to be done from orbit and might take up to two weeks. So why couldn't she take advantage of the time to track down a few friends?


	4. Vacation

**CHAPTER 4**

**VACATION**

"_That attack was quite a spectacle, wasn't it?" l'X'el remarked as he leaned back in his seat, having managed to stabilize the system again._

"_The ship would've flown into the temporal corridor without the aid of a pitched battle," K'ell'k remarked. "Did you have to destroy all those ships?"_

_l'X'el gave him an annoyed look. "Why are you blaming me? I just used an historic event —Well, it'll become an historic event, anyway. It's the outcome that was only_…_um,__slightly altered."_

"_What! You're not allowed to do that!" K'ell'k exclaimed, turning back to the globe with a horrified look on his face._

_l'X'el gave him a knowing look. "Those ships weren't Sharks, Kay. They were sent by—" He broke off and pointed upwards._

_K'ell'k looked up and then stiffened, turning sharply to his brother. "You interfered with __**them?**__ Are you crazy?"__ he said in a horrified whisper. "Now we're _really_in trouble."_

* * *

The Doctor made some final adjustments to the controls while waiting for his companion to return to the console room. He'd had a general idea as to the time zone when they first landed, but was startled to learn it was the year 2000. _Why can't I get away from twentieth century Earth?_ he wondered.

Mel finally arrived, pulling a cartload of luggage through the interior door. She was still a bit surprised that she had managed to get the Doctor to agree to her short vacation while he indulged himself in his research. The Time Lord had not seemed too keen on the idea until she playfully pointed out that he would be spared her exercise and dietary regimen while she was gone. She had a childhood friend who had relocated to the United States after graduating from University, which to her had been only a few short months ago. She had been surprised to learn that eleven years had passed since that time. Thanks to the wonders of time travel, the Doctor had been able make a quick temporal jump back to the beginning of the year, allowing her to locate and then contact her friend to see if she might arrange a visit. To Mel's delight, her friend was more than agreeable to this, since she had missed their ten-year reunion that had taken place in December of 1999. A quick jump back to their original coordinates allowed Mel to arrive on time for her prearranged visit.

The Doctor straightened, an amused smile coming to his face. "You're sure you're only staying two weeks?" he asked, eyeing the contents of the cart.

"Now don't start with me, Doctor," Mel chided playfully. "I don't have bottomless pockets like you."

"No, only a bottomless handbag. I've seen what you women carry in one of those. It's amazing you can find anything."

"Rather like you and the TARDIS."

The Time Lord accepted defeat and grinned. "Touché." He held out a small stack of documents. "Well, here's something else for your bottomless handbag."

"What are those?"

"Your updated passport, for a start. I thought it _might_ come in useful. I also thought you might like a bit of spending money. So while you were calling your friend in January I had a credit card issued in your name on my London account. You have a credit limit that's the U.S. equivalent of one hundred thousand dollars, which I _hope_ you won't take upon yourself to _max out_, as they say here in the States. There's also five hundred dollars cash for spending money. Small bills, of course."

Mel was so stunned that the Doctor had even realized she would need money she stood staring as the items were placed in her hands. "Doctor, I'm…I'm…speechless. Thank you."

"Your welcome. Just wanted to make sure you enjoyed yourself."

Glancing at the viewer, Mel scowled. "Where are we?"

"The main building of one of Florida's numerous ports of entry. You've just arrived from my private island in the Caribbean via my private yacht. At least, that's what you can tell them in Customs when you go through. That way there'll be no awkward questions about your not being on any passenger manifests."

"You seem to've thought of everything," his companion complimented.

The Time Lord gave a knowing smile. "I've a lot of experience with awkward questions."

Mel gave him a sideways glance, throwing a meaning look in the direction of her exercise equipment. "You're not trying to get rid of me, are you?"

"Perish the thought!" the Doctor exclaimed playfully. "I'll be back for you in two weeks. Cross my hearts." Holding up what looked like a small blue ball, he added, "And just to be certain, take the recall beacon. Then if I am late, you can just beep me."

Mel could not help but smile as the device was added to the other items. She had no doubt that the Doctor would be back in two weeks, but wondered how much time this would be for him. Would he jump ahead in time when he finished his research? Or would he get involved in an adventure that would take him light years away for days or even weeks?

The Doctor pushed the cart of luggage out the main doors, transferring the cases to another that belonged to the port. He returned to the console room to see Mel still standing beside the console. "Well, come on. You can't visit your friend from in here."

"Doctor, how do I explain the fact that I don't look any older? Paige mentioned the reunion last year. She said I was there. It's her past, but my future." Shaking her head, Mel sighed. "I thought I was used to time travel. It never occurred to me that I'd…well, skip along my own timeline like this."

The Doctor frowned, inwardly wishing his companion had mentioned this little wrinkle earlier. "Was your friend at this reunion?"

"No. She couldn't…." Mel caught her breath, realizing what the Doctor was getting at. "She won't know if I've changed or not, will she?"

The Doctor shook his head. Suddenly dozens of objections were screaming inside his head, arguing the pros and cons of allowing his relatively inexperienced companion to leave under these circumstances. Mel was extremely intelligent and knew the dangers of letting too much information slip, but did she truly realize the dangers of her learning too much from her own future? On the other hand there was the Doctor's personal future and the looming shadow of the Valyard. What if Mel decided to stay on Earth before the encounter with the Hyperion III and all he knew that would follow? Would he still be able to avoid moving down the dark path he feared the most? Alter his own personal future?

Before the Time Lord knew what was happening he was jolted from his reverie by Mel who was suddenly hugging him. "Thank you, Doctor," she said happily. With an enormous grin on her face, she bounded through the door. "I'll buy you some tacky sunglasses to go with that coat!" she called over her shoulder.

The Doctor tried to look disapproving, but found himself caught up in his companion's enthusiasm. Turning, he hit the door lever as he circled around the console. "Now for _my_ vacation," he muttered as he hit the dematerialization switch. With a satisfied smile on his face, he crossed to the exercise bike and threw a towel over it.

* * *

_The brothers watched as the Doctor's TARDIS materialized at the Earth seaport a full week ahead of the arrival of the out of control SILVER TRIUMPH._

"_He missed the entry window," K'ell'k moaned. _

"_Oh, K'ell'k, will you stop whining," l'X'el replied. "You said that when he went back to arrange his companion's vacation__, and__ again when he went to pick up her paperwork. I've left a strong enough trace for him to find. The Doctor won't be interested if it's too easy."_

_K'ell'k sighed, leaning back in his seat. "I still don't believe that's really the Doctor." He held up his hands when his brother sighed dramatically. "I know, I know. You told me he regenerated. But_…_he's so_…_so_…_young."_

"_Only in appearance, Kay. Remember, I did a lot of research. I found out a lot more about him than the stories tell."_

"_I still say you're trying to be too clever."_

"_I don't know why I brought you along," l'X'el moaned. "You're such a pessimist."_

"_That's exactly __why__ you brought me," K'ell'k reminded. "The Doctor is caught up in his enthusiasm right now. What happens when his enthusiasm fades?"_

_l'X'el smiled knowingly but said nothing._


	5. Crash Landing

**CHAPTER 5**

**CRASH LANDING**

Mel was looking out a car window, wondering if she should pinch herself to make sure she was not dreaming. Six days ago she had been in the midst of a hair raising ride along a temporal disturbance, and now she was on planet Earth, in the United States, in the state of Florida, on a seeming endless patch of State Road 50 on her way to the Kennedy Space Center. Straight ahead, the morning sun was just starting to peek over the horizon.

"After all these years, I still can't believe how much nothing there is out here," Paige remarked, breaking into Mel's train of thought. "It just goes on and on, and all you see is trees, trees, and more trees." With a laugh, she added, "Oh yeah! And sand."

"We did have breakfast in a rather large city back there," Mel reminded, thinking that the sprawling city of Orlando was hardly the middle of nowhere. She then reflected on what her friend had said, comparing it to the endless expanse of space. Now _that_ was the middle of nowhere! Then again, there were so many exotic alien worlds out there, each possessing an untold beauty all their own. How does one compare that to the seemingly endless highway and scrub pine of Florida? And how could she admit, even to herself, that she was actually finding Earth …boring?

Mel's boredom ended with a loud roar and even louder crash when a spacecraft plummeted from the heavens and landed in the very trees her friend had been complaining about.

Paige brought the car to a halt with a skid, a squeal of tires and an enormous cloud of dust. "Did you see that!" she exclaimed. "That had to be a private plane going down."

Mel jumped out of the car, waving the dust from her face and coughing. She pointed at a plume of smoke. "Over there," she managed between coughs. "Come on, there might be survivors." Grabbing a bottle of water from the car, she set off through the brush, attempting to wash the dust from her throat as she went, her friend following reluctantly behind.

Using the smoke as a guide they found the wreckage with ease, although the hike to get there had not been as easy. They had to pick their way through the smoldering hunks of debris that had been scattered on impact. When they finally found what was left of the craft itself, it was immediately apparent that what they had seen fall from the sky was not a plane, its alien nature standing out like a sore thumb. "My God, it's a spaceship!" Paige gasped.

Mel was still trudging relentlessly on, carefully picking her way through the jagged debris field. Having seen more than her fair share of alien spacecraft in the past few months it did not even occur to her that this was not the norm for her friend until she climbed up to the entry hatch. Then she wondered just what manner of creature she would find inside and found herself wishing it were the Doctor following after her rather than her nervous friend.

"Mel, what are you doing?" the horrified Paige called. "We have to get out of here. If this brush catches fire that thing will blow up!"

Throwing a quick glance over at the plumb of smoke they had used as a guide, Mel saw it was rising from a large section of twisted metal several metres away. An engine, perhaps? She looked around the section she was standing on, which seemed free from any smoke. "Whoever's inside might be hurt," she said firmly. Turning back to the hatch, she muttered, "This is _not_ the sort of spaceship I wanted to be looking at today."

* * *

The interior of what was left of the _SILVER TRIUMPH_ was bathed in the eerie red glow of emergency lights, the devastation within a collection of jagged angles and shadows. The bulkheads were bulged and twisted, and there were great gashes in the metal. Cabinets hung open, their contents scattered everywhere.

Beneath the debris, and still secured to his seat, lay the gravely injured Prince Jason. He was not sure if he had lost consciousness on impact and was trying to concentrate to assess his situation. When he tried to move he was rewarded with several waves of excruciating pain, a sharp cry escaping him. "That was bright, Krystovan," he muttered painfully to himself. "And you a Healer."

There was a noise on the hull and Jason struggled to focus, realizing at the same time that he was lying on what should have been the side of the ship, his seat apparently having been torn free of its bolts in the crash. The exit hatch was almost directly above him, the monitor he had been using to keep an eye on the bridge jammed up under his right leg. He was still trying to make out the damage around him when the outer hatch suddenly opened and bright sunlight streamed in, illuminating the cabin and revealing the true extent of the devastation. A head appeared in the opening followed by a tentative female voice. "Hello? Is anybody in there?"

Jason's first attempt to call back was nothing more than a croak. Closing his eyes, he swallowed hard and tried again, managing to say, "Yes," although not very loud.

From above, Mel was peering into the jumble of debris. _What a mess,_ she thought, squinting into the gloom below her. She could not tell if there had been a reply and called again. This time there was no doubting someone was within as a bloodied hand reached out into the sunlight.

"Paige, call 9-9-9!" Mel commanded.

"Don't you mean 9-1-1?"

Mel gave her an annoyed look. "Just get some help! There's somebody hurt in there." So saying she started to climb down into the debris, much to her friend's dismay.

"Mel, my cell phone's in the car!" Paige called as her friend vanished from sight.

Grateful the drop from the hatch was not very far, Mel pushed what she could out of her way as she struggled across the shattered cabin. She could not make out the owner of the hand, her eyes still adjusting from the glare of the bright sunlight outside. Knowing the sight of this injured individual would not be pleasant, she quietly repeated, "Don't scream. Don't scream," as she carefully pulled the debris away. She was inwardly grateful when she saw, not a monstrous alien creature, but an apparently human male still secured to his seat. He wasn't a very large man, and looked in his mid thirties, which was probably a good thing. As badly hurt as he was, Mel doubted someone old and frail could have survived the impact let alone the injuries this man seemed to have suffered.

"Don't try to move," she instructed, getting down beside him. "My friend is calling for help. We'll get you out of here."

"My crew," Jason said softly, indicating the way to the bridge.

"How many others are there?"

"Three."

Mel nodded and went in the direction indicated. She could see where the door out of the cabin should have been, but all that remained was a mass of twisted metal. She looked through a gash, seeing more twisted metal on the other side. If there had been a room there, it was long gone now. She decided not to tell the gravely injured man the truth as she returned to his side. "It's blocked. They'll have to cut through." The man nodded, his eyes rolling slightly in his head. He struggled to keep them open, looking straight at her. "Mustn't sleep."

"What?"

"I mustn't…sleep. May have…a head injury. Dangerous."

"So is shock," Mel replied, taking in his injuries more fully. His legs were pinned by an enormous piece of twisted bulkhead and were very likely broken. His right arm was caught in a tangle of wires near his head and from its position, Mel could tell it was badly broken, too. She searched the cabin for something to cover him with and found several blankets hanging from one of the damaged lockers. As Mel pulled more of the debris away to make room for the blankets, she was horrified to see a piece of metal about a centimetre in diameter had actually pierced the man's side, literally pinning him to his seat.

Seeing the look on her face, Jason looked down at himself and groaned. "That's all I need," he muttered darkly, thinking this was just the icing on the cake. He had no way of knowing the wormhole had actually been a temporal distortion. Nor did he know that it had not only aged his human crew, but also the ship itself, pushing the metal tolerances well beyond their capabilities to protect him. Had it not been for l'X'el's interference, the passenger cabin would have been in as many pieces as the rest of the ship.

Mel covered him as best she could and tried to make him comfortable. "I don't even know your name," she said, hoping to get his mind off of his devastating injuries. "I'm Melanie Bush, Mel to my friends." She took hold of his left hand, which seemed to be the only part of him that had survived undamaged.

"Mel, then," Jason said with a small smile. "I'm…Ambassador Krystovan. Jason…to my friends."

"Ambassador? On an important diplomatic mission, I take it?"

He gave a smile of irony. "You could say that."

"Where to?" The reply was not what Mel expected.

"Earth. Looks like…I'm not going to make…the opening ceremonies."

Mel could think of nothing to say and was saved by a call from Paige. "I'll be right back," she assured and struggled back up to the hatch. She saw her relieved friend standing a few metres away, cell phone in hand. "I told them a plane went down," she informed the moment Mel's head popped out of the hatch. "They'd think I was a nutter if I told them the truth."

"How long will it take for them to get here? He's badly hurt," Mel informed.

"I don't know." Paige took a tentative step forward. "Is he…weird looking?"

Mel actually laughed. "No. He's just a man like—" She broke off, sniffing the air. "Do you smell that?"

A horrified look came to Paige's face. "Oh God, I knew it. It's going to explode."

"Paige, don't get hysterical. Didn't you say something about the brush catching fire?" Mel asked logically. "Go check and see if anything's smoldering near the ship. I'll see if I can find a fire extinguisher in this mess." Not waiting for a reply, she ducked back into the relative gloom of the ship's interior.

Having overheard the conversation, Jason was ready for the question before Mel even asked it. He had already survived the crash. The last thing he wanted was to be burned alive on the ground. "Can you get to the panel…to the right of the hatch?" he asked as firmly as he could manage.

"The one with the big red lever on it?" Mel asked.

"Yes. Pull it. There's…an extinguisher of sorts…in there."

Mel didn't think she like the _of sorts_ part. She pulled open the panel, finding several odd looking tubes within. Fortunately it was obvious how they were to be used. There was a short nozzle protruding from the top, a large red button directly behind. "Be right back," she said again as she clambered out of the hatch.

Paige had found a couple of smoking areas around the ship, which had been fortunate enough to crash in one of the few moist areas for miles in the drought ridden countryside. Mel handed her reluctant friend one of the extinguishers and together they made certain that the ship and surrounding brush would not go up in flames before help arrived.


	6. Translator

**CHAPTER 6**

**TRANSLATOR**

When Mel climbed back inside the ship she found Jason had dozed off and gently patted his cheek. "Hey, you're not supposed to sleep, remember?" When she could not rouse him right away she felt a wave of panic and struck him harder. "Come on, Jason, stay with me," she said firmly. She heaved a sigh of relief when the Alterran moaned and struggled back to consciousness. "Dozed off," he said quietly. "Sorry. I'm…so tired…."

"Just hang on. Help should be here soon." Glancing around, Mel added, "I just hope they can get through the door."

Jason forced himself to concentrate. "I should've realized…" he muttered, going on to say, "The hatch…has an emergency release. You can blow it open."

The woman beside him scowled. "It's already open."

Shaking his head, Jason explained that the emergency release opened the whole side of the cabin. He directed Mel to a panel opposite the one from which she had retrieved the fire extinguishers. Inside she found a flat lever that she had to pump several times in order to prime the internal releases. It was very stiff, and she was not the largest of individuals. Again Mel found herself wishing the Doctor were there. If nothing else, he could easily put his weight to this. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she turned triumphantly to Jason. "Done. Now what?"

"Have your friend…stand near the ship…but away from the hatchway," he instructed. "The door is meant to…project away…and take half the wall with it."

Wondering just how far, or high, this meant, Mel popped her head out of the hatch, telling Paige what was happening, and just what she intended to do. Her already nervous friend moved toward the shaded end of the wreck, staying well away from the hatch.

Satisfied Paige was out of danger Mel dropped back into the ship and looked at the open panel. "Do I just push this red button then?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Jason replied softly. "Keep your back…to the opening and…cover your eyes. It'll probably kick up…a lot of dust."

"What about you?"

"I'm afraid I'm stuck here."

Mel glanced at the hatchway and back at the injured Alterran. Nodding to herself, she went over to him and put a blanket over his head and upper body to protect him from any flying debris, receiving an amused smile at the same time. She returned to the hatch and called out to Paige to stand by. Then she hit the button, turning around quickly to protect her face. For a second it seemed as if nothing was going to happen. Then a series of clicks sounded within the bulkhead as the internal releases snapped open. This was followed by a loud bang and rush of air as the wall suddenly exploded away, sailing several metres into the air.

Mel turned in time to see the massive section of cabin wall arcing away and landing with a thump among the other debris. She turned back to Jason, expecting to see him pushing the blanket off of himself. Instead he was perfectly still, and she feared he had been further injured by more flying debris. Mel moved as quickly as she could to his side, and pulled off the blanket. To her relief, he smiled weakly up at her. "Pretty cool, huh?" he said quietly.

"Rather," she agreed. "Now all we need is for all this help to arrive." Mel took the water bottle out of her pocket, and touched a few drops to Jason's dry lips. Then she used a piece of blanket to wash some of the blood from his face, and hopefully cool his skin in the suffocating heat.

By this time Paige was standing in an awestruck silence at the gaping hole that was now in the side of the ship. "Listen. I think I hear sirens," she said suddenly.

The sound of sirens rose in pitch, heralding the arrival of help, which included Search and Rescue, Florida State Police, several Fire Departments, and close on their heels, the Military.

Mel was helped from the ship and then she and Paige were checked over for radiation exposure. To their relief, they were found to be "clean." While this was going on, several rescuers worked on extracting Jason from the ship. It turned out that the bulkhead pinning his legs did not need to be cut, the Jaws of Life lifting it away with ease. The metal rod that seemed to be pinning him to his seat did not go all the way through the back, so as soon as the straps were released, he came free of the seat. Within a very short time he was being carried out of the wrecked ship.

The whole time he was being worked on, Jason tried to make his rescuers understand about his physiology, but they did not seem to care. As he was being taken to a waiting helicopter, Mel finally interceded. "Why don't you listen to him?" she demanded, grabbing the nearest man as the stretcher moved past. "He's trying to tell you something important."

The irritated Medic turned to her. "Maybe he is, lady, but I don't speak Martian."

"I'm Alterran, you cretin," Jason snorted as firmly as he could manage and causing Mel to laugh.

"What's so funny?" the Medic demanded.

With a smirk, Mel replied, "He said you're a cretin. And he's _trying_ to tell you that you can treat his injuries the way you would a human's. His body chemistry is different, but it won't make any difference, apparently."

"Oh yeah," the Medic snorted. "Ask him his blood type."

"Tell him O-positive, Mel," Jason replied softly. With a smirk, he added, "Gives new meaning to the term 'universal donor,' doesn't it?" Mel giggled before repeating what he had said, causing every human within earshot to turn to her in amazement.

Colonel Hildebrand, the ranking military officer leaned over to the soldier beside him. "Belay my original order concerning that young woman. Have her evacuated with our guest. I've a feeling she may be more useful on Base."

* * *

Mel was not surprised when she and Jason were loaded onto a military-type helicopter. Nor was she surprised when it eventually landed at a military-type base. After all, this was Earth. Aliens and the Military always seemed to go hand-in-hand. What did surprise her was the mixture of uniforms that met her as she disembarked at the seemingly deserted Base.

Jason was taken to what she was told was a hospital, although it did not appear to be one on the outside. Mel continued to act as translator, and Jason went on to amaze the medical staff by giving them a full rundown of the majority of his injuries. He had the ability to scan anything he touched much in the way as medical scanning equipment and for years had been frustrated by the fact that the only thing he could not scan was himself. He had discovered that if someone were touching him, he could scan himself _through_ them. Using this technique, he was able to give the astonished medical staff information that would have taken them hours to collect.

Once Jason was fully evaluated, he was taken to surgery. Colonel Hildebrand took advantage of this time to debrief Mel who was taken to a conference room and asked a battery of questions about the wreck, where she was when it happened, how long she had been inside the ship and so on. This went on for more than an hour, after which Mel was exhausted. The Colonel gave orders that she be escorted to some guest quarters where she could rest and get cleaned up. What she really wanted was to stay and find out about the injured Jason's condition, but knew it would be several hours before anyone knew anything definite.

* * *

Private Thompson took Mel to what she would have generously described as a shack. She guessed that the building probably contained three, perhaps four rooms. It reminded her strongly of the slave quarters she had seen in pictures of the Old South in the United States. She could not help but wonder if the builders had used the same floor plans. She climbed the three steps leading to what might vaguely be considered a porch. There was a wooden chair just outside the door under a bare yellow bulb that was probably supposed to serve as an exterior light.

"I hope you'll be comfortable here, ma'am," Thompson said respectfully, opening the door.

Mel entered, looked around at the Spartan furnishings and winced inwardly. It was just as she had pictured it: a short entryway, main room to one side, kitchen to the other, a hallway leading to a bedroom and probably incredibly tiny bathroom. _At least it doesn't have a dirt floor_, she thought gratefully. "Thank you, I'm sure I'll be fine," she said at last. "Any chance of getting some food around here? I haven't eaten since five this morning and I'm starved."

Before the Private could reply a car pulled up and an officer got out. "Private!" he called, waving at Thompson. To Mel's astonishment, the man started to pull the luggage she had left in Paige's apartment out of the back of the car. _How did he get those?__And in only about…what? Three, perhaps four hours?_Mel had learned from Paige that, according to the others at the reunion, she had said she had been traveling. Since this was essentially true, Mel held to that story. She did not elaborate on it and wondered if Paige now thought she was doing government work, as it would easily explain her being spirited away by the U.S. Army.

As Private Thompson struggled with the cases, the man who identified himself as Lieutenant DeWitt informed her that Colonel Hildebrand had sent him to invite her to join him at the Officer's Mess in an hour. "I've only just got here," Mel replied, waving a hand at the door.

"Yes, ma'am," DeWitt replied respectfully. "The Colonel thought you might be hungry by now. Thompson can drive you over whenever you're ready."

Mel moved aside as Private Thompson carried her luggage inside. She was now prepared for an extended stay on Base. Despite this apparent show of hospitality, she could not help but wonder if she was being made comfortable as a guest or a prisoner? She did know that she needed to eat and decided to meet the Colonel after all. "Am I supposed to dress a certain way for this place?" she asked, much to the officer's amusement.

"No, ma'am. There isn't a civilian dress code."

"You're not in the Army like the others, are you? Your uniform is different."

"No, ma'am," DeWitt acknowledged proudly. "I'm a Marine."

Mel nodded, uncertain as to whether this was significant and stored it away for later. She thanked the Lieutenant, and asked Thompson to wait while she got cleaned up and changed. Closing the door, she went to the bedroom where her luggage had been deposited. She looked at herself in a full-length mirror and sighed heavily, suddenly realizing what a harrowing day she had had—and how much she had enjoyed it! She really _had_ been bored. It occurred to her that she should contact the Doctor, only to realize she had left her handbag—and the beacon it contained—in the helicopter she had arrived on.

"You really must remember to put the film in that photographic memory of yours, Mel Bush," she said to herself. First thing to do was get her purse back and then she could send for the Doctor. _No_, she thought again, _first find out more about what was going on._ No use spoiling the Doctor's fun until she had more facts. Not that he would have minded considering all that she knew already. After all, crashed spaceships and lost alien Ambassadors were right up his street.


	7. Top Secret

**CHAPTER 7**

**TOP SECRET**

As Mel suspected, the Doctor was thoroughly enjoying his self-imposed research project. He had happily followed the trail of the temporal disturbance to its ultimate termination point directly above the Atlantic Ocean. He was in the process of patting himself on the back when he noticed the sensors had detected faint traces of an interstellar ion drive, something that did not exist at this point in Earth's history.

"Another temporal mystery," he muttered, scowling down at the console.

The traces were much too faint to get an exact directional fix on without considerable effort, and he was determined to keep his promise to his companion and arrive on time to retrieve her. He had already spent more than a week tracing the termination point, and would need several more days to go back and trace the source of the ion transmission. In the interest of time the Doctor decided to cheat and drop in on his friends at UNIT to see if anything unusual had occurred during the past week or two.

* * *

Mel arrived at what was supposed to be the Officer's Mess, thinking the outside of the building looked more like an old warehouse. The inside did not look much different, and seemed to have been converted from a warehouse to a sectioned off cafeteria. Whatever its design, the slightly darker, cooler interior of the building was an inviting change from the stifling midday heat.

The Colonel was just inside the door when Mel arrived. He was cordial but evasive when asked what had become of the crashed spaceship, or what the plans might be for its lone survivor. Mel knew the entire incident would be considered classified, probably ending up in a file with _TOP SECRET_ stamped across it in bright red letters. When Hildebrand changed the subject and asked about her vacation and subsequent visit to Florida, she chose not to fight the issue, going along with his obvious attempt to steer the conversation away from the very reason she was there in the first place.

As the Colonel went on with his small talk, Mel took the time to study him more closely. The last military man she had met on Earth was Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, an old friend of the Doctor's. Despite the fact that the Brigadier was actually retired, command seemed to fit him like a glove. When things started to go…well, the way they always go with the Doctor around, Mel remembered that the Brigadier had taken charge of things without so much as batting an eye.

Colonel Hildebrand, on the other hand, seemed to be struggling most of the time. He was a large man who may have always relied on his size to intimidate others. Oddly enough, it did not intimidate the diminutive Melanie Bush, and the man across the table did not seem to know how to compensate for this other than to be overly congenial, or as Mel thought of it, patronizing.

Then Mel thought about the injured Jason, who was very likely still in surgery. Well, she hoped he was still in surgery. He had told her a few things while he was being evaluated that she had not passed on to the staff, one of which being that he doubted he would survive the surgery. Just thinking on this caused Mel to loose her appetite and she gave the Colonel a weak smile as he chattered on.

When the meal ended, the congenial atmosphere seemed to end along with it. Hildebrand took Mel back to his office, stating that he had a temporary pass being prepared for her. She was pleased to see his office was in a structure that at least looked like it was supposed to be an office building. The various buildings and their composition had caused her to wonder if the Base was actually a secret location for something, as nothing seemed as it appeared on the outside. Each time she crossed the compound she committed a new section to memory to analyze later.

A civilian was waiting in Hildebrand's office and he got to his feet when they entered. The man was so stereotypically official looking that Mel was sure he was going to hand her a business card with government agent stamped on it in bold black letters.

"This gentleman is from the Immigration Service," Hildebrand informed suddenly.

Mel could not help herself and giggled. "The ones who deport illegal aliens? Boy, have you come to the right place."

The others were not amused. "He's here about you, Ms Bush," the Colonel informed stiffly.

Mel was immediately serious. "Me? Why?"

"The INS wants to know why there's no record of your entering the country."

Looking from one to another, she replied, "Is this a joke?"

"No, ma'am," the government man replied.

"You've already gone through my luggage. I could tell by the right mess it was in when it arrived. You've probably gone through my purse too. I left that in the helicopter and would appreciate having it back. You must've found my passport. Or do you think I forged the entry stamp?" Mel challenged.

The men exchanged a look that puzzled her.

"Look," she went on, "I didn't sneak across the border in somebody's car boot. I arrived on a friend's private yacht and was checked in through Customs a week ago. They didn't seem to find my arrival at all odd. So why are you suddenly?"

After several more minutes of questions, the Colonel abruptly said, "I think I have all the answers I need," and the interview ended. The man from Immigration thanked Mel for her assistance and left.

Mel was nonplussed. "What was _that _all about?"

Hildebrand gave an amused smile. "You're a feisty little lady, aren't you?"

Never one to appreciate a condescending attitude, Mel was on her feet. "If you think I'm feisty now, just wait—"

The Colonel held up his hands and to Mel's surprise apologized. "When I found out you'd arrived only a week ago, I had you run through the international data base," he informed, tapping a finger on a folder on the desk.

"Checking with Interpol to see if I'm a criminal mastermind or something?" Mel asked sarcastically. "Did you think I shot that ship out of the sky?"

"It's strictly routine in security matters," Hildebrand explained. "It's the answer I didn't believe. Thought it must be another Melanie Bush—"

"Who also comes from Pease Pottage, England?" she added astringently, sitting down again.

"There's only one that matches your description." The officer paused a beat. "_And_ has top secret clearance. It's that last piece of info that I couldn't believe. You don't exactly fit in the same mold as these other UNIT people."

_That's probably because I'm not one of these other UNIT people_, Mel thought, wondering just what these "UNIT people" did. She was just as surprised as Hildebrand and even more interested in how she had miraculously gotten top-secret government clearance. _Doctor, what __have__ you been up too?_ she wondered amusedly, keeping her bewilderment to herself. With a small smile, she said, "Don't always judge by appearances, Colonel. You'd be amazed the kind of investigations I've been on." Before the man across the desk could comment, Mel asked, "Is there any news on our _other_ illegal alien?"

After a few phone calls the Colonel learned that Jason had gotten out of surgery and had been moved to the hospital's Critical Care Unit. Mel asked if she could see him and was taken to Dr. Miller, who was in charge of the case that had been code named _Visitor_. Mel took this last piece of information in with a wince, wondering why the military always had to assign code names to everything. She thought she should probably tell them that Jason actually had a name, but decided to keep this piece of information, and the fact that he was an Ambassador of some sort, to herself.

Dr. Miller was not very forthcoming on Jason's status until Mel flashed her newly acquired security pass, courtesy of Colonel Hildebrand and this mysterious UNIT. She smiled inwardly at his reaction. He explained the extent of the Visitor'sinjuries, and his chances of survival, which were not good. Jason had suffered extensive internal injuries, which Mel already suspected considering he had a piece of metal sticking out of him. His right leg had been so badly crushed that it had to be amputated, his left leg fairing slightly better, being broken in several places. There was a question mark on whether they could save his right arm, which was being held together with plates and screws. As if all this weren't bad enough, Mel was stunned to learn that Jason had gone into cardiac arrest once and stopped breathing twice during his surgery.

"God knows what's keeping him alive," the physician remarked. "We have him on partial life support, but I've no idea if it's helping keep the strain off his system or not."

"I'd like to see him," Mel insisted.

"Ms Bush, his condition is extremely critical," Dr. Miller reiterated. "There's no telling when or even _if_ he'll regain consciousness."

Mel understood all this and said so. "But if he does wake up," she pointed out logically, "none of you will be able to understand a word he says."

Unable to come up with a suitable response, or overlook her VIP status, Miller relented and took her to the Critical Care Unit, a designation Mel found curious. As with all the other buildings on Base, the hospital was a puzzle. It was relatively small yet surprisingly well equipped and staffed; and the Critical Care Unit was more like a quarantine chamber. Or was it actually a clear prison cell? It was a large room, three sides enclosed in thick plate, possibly bulletproof glass, an electronic lock on the door. The bed was positioned in the center of the room with monitors on either side that relayed information to a twin at the nurse's station situated directly outside the door.

Mel stood outside the glass door a few minutes looking in at the gravely injured Alterran. The man she'd met all those hours ago had been a bruised and bloodied mess. Now he was clean and swaddled in bandages and casts, his swollen face obscured by the respirator that helped him to breathe. Her eyes moved to the stump where his right leg had been and she gave way to an involuntary shudder. _At least they were able to save your arm, _she thought as she entered the room.

"Hey, Mr. Ambassador, it's me, your friend Mel," Mel heard herself saying quietly. "You're going to be okay. I'll be right here, so don't worry about anybody understanding you." She stood quietly at the bedside, gently stoking his undamaged left hand and arm, being careful not to touch his I.V. tubes.

A voice from the door broke the silence, jarring her from her thoughts and causing her to jump. "Please step away from the Visitor and identify yourself."

Mel spun around, startled by the first British accent she had encountered on the American military base. The soldier at the door was wearing the blue beret of the United Nations, but she did not recognize the insignia. _Well, that explains the accent,_ she thought. _He's a U.N. solider_. _But what on Earth did UNIT stand for? United Nations Invasion…something?_

"How did you get in here?" the officer asked tersely.

"Well I didn't drop in from the sky, did I?" Mel replied astringently. She realized the irony of this remark the moment she said it and added quickly, "I came in through the door, same as you." The man opened his mouth and she cut him off, "And before you ask again, I'm Melanie Bush. I'm the one who found him. And I'm here because I'm the only one who understands a word he says." Crossing to him, she thrust her UNIT identification into his hand. "Here's my authorization."

The soldier looked at it, smiled briefly, and handed it back. "Thank you, Miss. That clears up everything." He touched his cap and smiled again before exiting, leaving the bewildered Mel staring after him.


	8. A Visit To Unit

**CHAPTER 8**

**A VISIT TO UNIT**

The Doctor was taken to an office in UNIT's London HQ where a very surprised officer greeted him. "_You're _the Doctor?" the man asked, his voice holding back none of his disbelief. He had heard stories of UNIT's transient Scientific Advisor, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight of the tall, blond man in the multicolored coat standing in his doorway, grinning like a fool.

The Doctor held out his hand. "I am indeed. General Collier, isn't it?"

The General shook the outstretched hand more out of habit than courtesy. "Er, what can I do for you, Doctor? The call from Whitehall was, to say the least, vague."

Taking a seat, the Doctor said, "Yes, I can imagine. Sir John was rather rushed when I spoke with him. I suspect he was simply passing the buck when he directed me to you." The fact of the matter was Sir John actually seemed to be expecting the Time Lord's arrival, anticipating all of his inquiries. The Doctor had found this very curious and was still pondering its significance.

The General grunted his agreement. "Politicians."

"Quite. Let me come to the point, General. I need UNIT's help." The Time Lord went on to tell the officer about the unusual ion drive readings he had encountered in the TARDIS.

"I seem to recall the Americans are working on ion propulsion of some sort," Collier said blandly, trying his best to sound knowledgeable. "Even sent up a satellite a few years back that uses it." He gave a small smile, thinking he had gotten one over on UNIT's famous Scientific Advisor. He would soon learn otherwise.

"_Deep Space 1_ in October 1998 to be precise," the Doctor said offhandedly, waving a hand in the air. "No, its ion readings are of a completely different order. The ones I picked up came from a ship capable of interstellar travel. And the last time I looked, no one on your planet had developed that as yet."

"No one on _my_ planet…?" Collier repeated, struck by the words, as if the man uttering them were not…. Collier blinked and studied the man sitting across from him in a startled silence. He remembered someone telling him once that they were certain the Doctor was an extraterrestrial, to which the General had laughed out loud. Now that he had met him face-to-face, he was not even close to laughing. In fact, he was starting to find the man distinctly unnerving. The Doctor was calmly and benignly carrying on a conversation, yet he still seemed to dominate the room.

"Tell me, General. You wouldn't've had any UFO sightings in the last week or so, would you?" the Doctor was asking, bringing the General back to reality.

"Now that you mention it…" Collier began searching through some files on his desk. He produced the one he wanted, handing it to the Doctor. "There _wa_s a UFO sighting of sorts last week in the States. Florida, to be precise. Apparently, a spaceship decided to crash land next to a busy highway. All sorts of credible witnesses: Police, Firemen, Search and Rescue..."

The Doctor was reading as the man spoke and looked up sharply. "And a survivor! Badly hurt but alive," he gasped, his eyes returning to the report. "I wonder where he's from…"

"There's another mystery as well. The young woman who found him is apparently the only one who understands a word he says. According to the initial reports, she's human. Just a tourist who decided to play Good Samaritan." The General handed over another folder. "Turns out she's one of ours."

The Doctor looked over the file, his eyebrows going up when he saw his companion's name and security status. Then his meeting with Sir John returned to mind. _Looks as though I have another trip to make to get Mel's paperwork in order,_ he thought, _and another meeting with Sir John._

"This is the preliminary report from the UNIT team on the scene," Collier was saying, handing over yet another file. "They believe the Visitor—that's what they're calling the survivor—may have, well, _done_ something so this woman can understand him."

The Doctor looked up. "_Done something_?" he repeated with a distinct edge to his voice. "I hope they're not suggesting hypnosis, mind control, something preposterous like that."

"Actually, they were thinking along the lines of micro-technology, Doctor."

"Ah! Nanites, you mean? Possible, but unlikely." The Doctor closed the files on his lap and sat back. "You know, I should like to see this Visitorof yours. Perhaps have a little chat. Find out where he's from and what he's doing here."

"You're forgetting, Doctor," General Collier pointed out. "Only this young woman understands him."

The Doctor smiled knowingly. "Oh, I shouldn't worry. I'm quite good with languages, you know. I speak practically all of them."

The General gave the Time Lord a quizzical look, trying to determine if he were joking or actually serious. "You'd be willing to go, then? As a language consultant?" he asked finally.

"Why not? One must keep a sense of adventure, General." The Doctor suddenly seemed to be brimming with energy and bounded to his feet, handing back the files. "I see UNIT's had the wreckage moved to the Kennedy Space Center. Not exactly where I would've expected it to be."

The General gave him a wry smile. "Fortunately for us, NASA is not a U.S. Government agency. They don't have any aversion to renting out some of their empty hangars in order to make ends meet."

"Good. I'll start there then. If you could arrange to have one of the local UNIT people meet me there?"

"Certainly." The General reached for the phone. "I'll get transport lined up. Fly you straight to Cape Canaveral."

"If you must," the Time Lord sighed resignedly.

Collier did not seem to hear him. "We'll need to get your UNIT paperwork updated before you leave, too," he said as he dialed the phone.

The Doctor sighed again. "Very well. If you're going to insist on shipping me Stateside yourself, please make sure you arrange to have my TARDIS shipped along with me."

"Your TARDIS?"

"Surely there's a note in my file about the TARDIS. I keep all my scientific equipment in it."

"Oh yes, that Police Box," Collier replied, nodding. "Yes, we'll have that sent along too."

"Good. I feel rather lost without it." So saying, the Doctor strode from the office.

* * *

"_Didn't I tell you the Doctor would locate the ship without further assistance?" l'X'el said in an I-told-you-so tone. He had been completely unprepared for the unorthodox way in which the Time Lord had gone about it, but was not about to say so._

"_You did. I concede that you actually got that right," K'ell'k replied tersely. After a thoughtful silence, he said, "You never did tell me how all this is going to get him here?"_

_l'X'el gave a wry smile. "By letting him follow the trail of breadcrumbs," he said cryptically._

"_Breadcrumbs?"_

"_The coincidences. Oh, do pay attention, Kay." _


	9. Weckage

**CHAPTER 9**

**WRECKAGE**

The Doctor's sense of adventure was sorely tested during his journey from UNIT HQ in London to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He and his TARDIS were loaded onto a large, noisy, and distinctly smelly cargo plane. He had been given a pair of olive drab coveralls that he was told were to protect his civilian clothes. From the smirks he received while this was being explained, he suspected it was not necessarily the whole truth.

He took advantage of the time in flight to scan for any new temporal readings in the TARDIS, going on to run all the data supplied by UNIT through the computer. The final analysis was not what he expected and he read it with great interest, being all the more anxious to examine the downed spaceship.

The Doctor arrived in Florida in what looked like the middle of the night. As he stepped out onto the tarmac, he looked up into the clear night sky and wondered abstractly what time it was locally. His escort Captain Fitzpatrick, a member of UNIT's U.S. branch, met him as he disembarked and introduced herself.

"Would you happen to know if arrangements have been made to have my equipment sent over to the hangar at the Space Center?" the Doctor asked airily.

"Yes, sir," the Captain replied crisply. "It's being loaded up now and…." Her voice trailed off as she turned toward the cargo plane and saw the TARDIS being brought down the ramp on a forklift. "_That's_ your equipment?"

"Merely its container. Not likely to get lost looking like that, is it?" the Time Lord pointed out logically. He watched like a proud parent as the police box was loaded onto a flatbed truck and strapped down for its short journey to Cape Canaveral.

Having been unable to think of a suitable response, the Captain waited until the Doctor was satisfied his equipment was properly loaded before leading the way to the car that would to take them to the hangar where the wreckage was being housed.

* * *

_l'X'el and K'ell'k had been watching the Doctor's progress on the tarmac when he abruptly vanished, the globe fogging over. Looking up, K'ell'k could see his brother seemed as bewildered as he was, l'X'el's hands stabbing at the controls. The fact that the Doctor was shielded from their view while in his TARDIS had not surprised them, but this unexpected disappearance had been a shock._

"_The Doctor's raised a mental barrier," l'X'el announced finally._

"_He knows! Now he won't come!" K'ell'k almost shouted._

"_Quiet!" his brother snapped, looking around as though expecting every security agent in the building to suddenly appear out of the woodwork, momentarily forgetting in his panic, that the manipulator was protecting them from outside detection. Even if someone were to enter the room, it would appear completely empty._

_K'ell'k recoiled. "Sorry," he said meekly._

"_From time to time a Time Lord reinforces his mental defenses, usually during meditation," l'X'el informed knowingly. "Obviously the Doctor is taking advantage of his time in transit to clear his thoughts."_

_K'ell'k turned nervously back to the globe, hoping this were the case and not a miscalculation on his brother's part. "I hope you're right, Lix."_

_l'X'el scowled at him. "For the sake of argument, let's say I am." His fingers continued to manipulate the computer. "I'll just jump ahead a few hours to his companion's location. We'll be able to pick him up there."_

* * *

After passing though more security checks than he thought possible, the Doctor was finally standing outside the hangar containing the alien vessel. He had shed the coveralls somewhere along the way and was pulling off his long coat, which he folded neatly and left in the car before following his escort into the building.

What had once been the proud ship _SILVER TRIUMPH_ was now thousands of twisted chunks of metal and plastic, the largest and only relatively intact section in the center of the hangar, floodlights illuminating it from all angles. When Mel had seen it, the wreckage was partially buried in mud and downed trees. The sight that met the Doctor's eyes was that of a much larger craft, yet he knew from the literally thousands of others he had seen during his long lifetime that this was only a small portion of what had once been a much larger vessel. Various pieces of debris recovered from the crash site were spread out on an enormous grid on the floor, other smaller items having been placed in piles or laid out on tables.

The Doctor ignored the stares of those present as he approached the ship, allowing Captain Fitzpatrick to deflect any objections they might have to his presence. He circled the wreck very slowly, scrutinizing the scorch marks from its fiery journey through the atmosphere and the warping he could only deduce had been caused by the temporal distortion that he and Mel had followed. Upon completing his circuit, the Time Lord climbed inside. The opening in the wall section that had been blown away was covered with an enormous sheet of plastic. He pushed the sheet aside and entered, finding the interior less of a jumble than when his companion had been there. Most of the loose items had been removed, logged, and were now among the items on the floor of the hangar.

The Doctor noticed the wires hanging from the wall that had previously been connected into the monitor next to the passenger seat. Both monitor and seat were gone, but he wondered if the ship's computer might still be intact as it was housed beneath the passenger cabin. Getting down on his hands and knees, the Time Lord examined the floor panels and found himself wishing for what was probably the hundredth time that he still had his sonic screwdriver. He found a panel loose enough to pry up, which he did with the help of a metal bar similar to the one that had pinned Jason to his seat. Below the deck, the Doctor found the ship's computer, now a melted mass of metal and plastic.

"Blast," he muttered angrily. "Well, you're not going to tell me anything useful, are you?"

"You okay in there, Doctor?" came Fitzpatrick's voice through the doorway.

"Yes, yes, quite alright," he called back. He struggled to replace the heavy floor panel, one corner dipping into the opening. As he pulled it free, it thumped onto the deck, but did not strike flat. Something seemed to be affixed to the underside. The Doctor turned it over, finding a glob of circuitry inside what was left of a semi-melted container. "Hello. Now what are you doing in there?" he muttered, pulling the container free. Hearing approaching footsteps, he slipped the object into his pocket to examine later.

Captain Fitzpatrick lifted the sheet and appeared on the threshold, stopping dead when she saw the Time Lord on the floor, the open panel beside him. "Doctor, what…?"

"I seem to've located the ship's computer," he informed matter of factly. "Not going to be much help, I'm afraid. It's in worse shape than this room. Must've taken all the heat of re-entry —or in the case of this ship—entry. A considerable amount of the force from the landing too, by the look of it." Realizing what he had just said, he gave the plating in his hand a second look. It was significantly thicker than was usual for so small a ship and he stored this away in his mind, wondering where it fit among the other pieces of the puzzle he had yet to put together.

Getting to his feet, the Doctor crossed to the perplexed Captain. "I think I've seen all I need to for the time being. Now—the survivor."

Fitzpatrick nodded, leading the way out. "Your flight doesn't leave for about three hours, Doctor," she informed as they made their way out of the hangar. "Can I offer you something to eat? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, maybe? I don't know what time zone you're on."

The Doctor gave her a wry smile. "To be quite honest, Captain, I don't know myself half the time. But since that is very obviously the sun coming up over there, some very strong coffee and an authentic Southern breakfast would be very welcome. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, hush-puppies, grits, biscuits and gravy—"

The Captain could not help but laugh at the growing menu. "I never would've imagined you as a grits man, Doctor. I had you pegged as more a coffee and doughnuts type."

The Time Lord gave her an amused sideways glance, patting his stomach. "I've a friend who could tell you otherwise," he grinned.


	10. Waiting

**CHAPTER 10**

**WAITING**

In the days that followed Jason's surgery, Mel had divided her time between watching over the comatose Alterran as staff came and went, and sitting in as one language expert after another tried and failed to translate his words from a tape that had been made when they arrived. While all this was going on, she had been able to collect a great deal of information about the Base. Despite the fact that the Colonel was not very forthcoming, his subordinates were, as they were much more impressed with her newfound security clearance than he was. When she was satisfied she had as much information as she could gather, she planned to activate the beacon and pass her investigation over to the Doctor

Mel had managed to learn that the Base had originally been a private airport that had gone bankrupt several years earlier, which explained the mismatched buildings and sparse number of residents. When she asked how the military's presence was explained to the local population, she was amused to learn they had been told it was being used as a location for the production of training films. She then learned that the entire Base was being renovated to a certain set of specifications and the group known as UNIT was in the process of officially taking control, something that did not seem to set too well with Colonel Hildebrand. Mel had also managed to learn that UNIT stood for United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, and that they specialized in UFO's and the like and apparently had been dealing with alien "arrivals" on Earth for decades. Even though she felt she should not be surprised by the fact that she had never heard of the group, she was a bit surprised to learn that not only had alien activity on her home planet been prevalent enough for such a group to be deemed necessary, but it had also been going on for more nearly forty years.

Mel eventually learned that the wreckage of Jason's spaceship had been taken to NASA and was in some secret hangar at the Kennedy Space Center being dismantled and scrutinized by a legion of scientists. The crash site had been cordoned off and was being meticulously searched for debris. Something Mel wished she had not learned was that Jason's crew had not faired as well as him in the crash. They had been virtually pulverized, only a few scattered and scorched remains being all that was left. They had been identified as human, which seemed to cause a wave of excitement among the researchers. Mel found their reaction amusing and wanted to tell them that it was not unusual for humans and non-humans to travel together, but knew it would only open up another can of worms. Such as, how did she know this for a fact?

* * *

_The image of the Doctor's plane touching down not far from Mel's location came swirling up on the globe. _

"_You see? I told you he'd be back," l'X'el announced, not wanting his brother to know how relieved he was himself._

"_Yes, but for how long?" K'ell'k replied soberly._

_l'X'el gave him a dark look, altering the image to display the events in the Critical Care Unit. "I'm going to lock onto the mental energies of the Doctor's companion rather than him." He did not mention that it was actually Jason he was locking on to rather than Mel, as he knew this information would just trigger another argument. "Less likely to lose him that way."_

"_Less likely to keep track of him too."_

* * *

Mel was jotting down her latest tid-bits of information in a small notebook when she was roused from her thoughts by a sound from across the room. She looked up and saw the figure in the bed stir. She observed this without surprise. Jason had been stirring for the past day, his eyes sometimes opening slightly. The first time this happened she had called the duty nurse only to be told that what she was seeing was perfectly normal in coma patients. She was about to settle back to her notations when Jason suddenly came awake all at once and started fighting the straps that held his broken limbs immobile.

Mel was on her feet and at the bedside before she realized. "Calm down, calm down," she soothed, putting her hands on the Alterran's arm and shoulder. "You've been in an accident." Two striking sapphire blue eyes fixed themselves on her face. "You're in a hospital, do you understand?"

Unable to speak because of the tube in his throat, and groggy from the drugs in his system, a bleary-eyed Jason struggled to focus on the woman beside him, having no idea where he was or what had happened to him. He stopped fighting at the sound of Mel's calm, reassuring voice, although he still had no clue as to who she was.

"That's better," Mel sighed relievedly. "You were in an accident. You're ship crashed. Do you remember?"

Jason's eyes narrowed. _My ship_…_? The ARGO?__ No, that's not right_… _I was on_…_was on_… He closed his eyes, but could access nothing in his drug-numbed brain.

"Well, just incase you don't remember," the woman beside him said, "I'm Mel. I'm the one who found you. Now if you think you can stay calm a minute, I'll go get the doctor, or nurse, or somebody and tell them you're awake."

Suddenly feeling too weak to even think, let alone fight, Jason nodded weakly to signify he understood. With a quick smile, Mel dashed out the door leaving the bewildered Alterran staring after her. It was obvious from the amount of bandages he was wrapped in that he had been in some sort of accident. His right arm was in a cast that was suspended from an archaic contraption above the bed. His left leg also had a cast on it and it too was suspended. He could not see his right leg because of the respirator but suspected it was in bad shape too, judging by the pain he was feeling. Other parts of him felt like they were on fire, and his head….

At that moment Mel returned with a nurse who made certain the Alterran was actually conscious before leaving. A minute later an excited Dr. Miller entered. He quickly checked his confused patient, remarking on his progress as he went. "The lab boys will love this news," he said softly. "You're not going to crumble away to dust on us, are you?"

Jason's eyes narrowed as he struggled to concentrate his muddled brain._What was this fool going on about?_ He threw a questioning look in Mel's direction and she gave him a don't-look-at-me shrug, being as clueless as he as to what the physician was talking about. The effort of staying awake against the powerful drugs proved too difficult, and Jason lost consciousness.

Miller continued his examination, checking the monitors and making notation after notation into a thick notebook. A UNIT soldier whom Mel had not seen before appeared during this, having somehow learned the Visitor had regained consciousness.

"Did you tell him anything, Miss?" the soldier asked suddenly.

_Another__voice from home,_ Mel thought upon hearing the man's British accent and turned to look at him properly. When she did, she almost burst out laughing. He did not have what she would have described as the typical military look. In fact, he looked more like someone's big brother who had gotten a uniform for his birthday and never bothered to take it off.

"I told him he'd been in a crash and was in a hospital. Why?" she said at last.

"A language specialist is on his way. Orders are that no one is to communicate with the Visitoruntil he arrives"

"What?" Mel could not believe what she was hearing. "Not again!"

"I'm only the messenger, Miss," the Lieutenant said apologetically. "The orders come from UNIT HQ in Geneva this time."

"I don't care if they come from the Queen! Who's to say _this_language specialist will have any better luck than your last six? They haven't been able to decipher a single word from that recording, have they?"

"Oh, I wouldn't fault them," came a familiar voice from the door. "I'm told the tape _was_ very poor quality."


	11. Language Specialist

**CHAPTER 11**

**LANGUAGE SPECIALIST**

Mel looked up to see the Doctor standing in the doorway, an enormous grin on his face. "Doctor! Where have you been?" she exclaimed, running over and hugging him.

"Where haven't I been?" the Time Lord replied airily, somewhat surprised by the emotional greeting. He leaned down, looking into his companion's face. "Are you alright?"

"I am now."

The Lieutenant was trying to figure out when he had lost control of the situation as he took in the extraordinary person in the long multicolored coat who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "Who the devil are you?" he asked, the words popping out of his mouth before he realized he had spoken them.

The Doctor gave him a dark look. "Ah, the military. Always so courteous. I'm the language specialist that I _believe_ you've been expecting." To Mel, he said quietly, "I made the mistake of asking UNIT if anything unusual had occurred in the last week. The next thing I know I'm being packed off as a language consultant."

"Don't give me that long-suffering attitude," his companion chided. "You love a good mystery. I'll even bet you volunteered."

With an impish grin, the Time Lord confessed, "I did, actually. Especially after seeing _your_ name on a report." He looked up to see the Lieutenant blocking his way into the room, his hand out. "May I see your identification, please, sir?"

Before Mel could explain that the Doctor never carried identification, the Time Lord had produced an impressive set of UNIT paperwork. "That should contain more than enough red tape to satisfy every government agency on this planet. Now do get out of my way, there's a good—" Cutting himself off, he scowled at the soldier, taking a good look at him for the first time. "Don't I know you?"

"I don't think so…" The Lieutenant's voice trailed off, his eyes growing wide when he opened the identification papers. He looked up sharply, astonishment written clearly over his open face. "Strewth, Doctor. You've done it again."

By this time the Time Lord was grinning from ear to ear. "Mr. Benton!" he said happily, quickly correcting himself, "_Lieutenant_ Benton. They told me you'd returned to UNIT."

With an embarrassed smile, Benton said, "Yes, well, civilian life and I didn't fit too well." He handed back the Time Lord's paperwork and accepted his handshake before hurriedly taking his leave.

Dr. Miller gave Mel a mystified look to which she responded with a shrug. In her short time with the Doctor, she had learned not to be surprised by any of his acquaintances at any point in time or on any particular planet.

As in General Collier's office, the Doctor's personality instantly dominated the room. He crossed to the physician, introduced himself, and shook his hand. "I'm going to need all the medical data on this patient," he stated firmly. "Do you think you can arrange that for me?"

* * *

"_Did you arrange that too?" K'ell'k asked sarcastically. He received a questioning look in reply. "That Lieutenant? The Doctor knows him too."_

_l'X'el gave him a knowing smile. "You don't believe that was a handy twist of fate?" he asked innocently, knowing full well that it truly had been a coincidence._

"_You're playing with too many variables, Lix. Coincidence is one thing, but soon this will look like open manipulation."_

* * *

Within six hours of his arrival the Doctor had received all the Visitor's medical records and had read through them twice. After his initial read through he had put a stop to what he called, "the appalling overabundance of tranquilizing drugs" that were being administered. He could not determine if the shattered alien's caregivers were trying to keep him calm to allow his body to heal, or keep him helpless until they could figure out what to do with him.

The Doctor was seated at the nurse's station, several papers spread out before him. He had been alternately reading the file, watching the monitors, and racking his brain trying to remember where he had seen similar bio-chemical readings. He was in the process of re-reading the lab reports when Dr. Miller reappeared.

"An interesting case, huh, Doctor?" Miller observed.

"Not the word I would've chosen," the Doctor replied without looking up. "Fascinating body chemistry. I'm _sure _I've seen it somewhere before."

"I suppose you folks in UNIT see this sort of thing all the time," Miller remarked longingly.

"Some of us more than others," the Time Lord replied vaguely as he looked up. "He's definitely _not_ human, that's certain. What I find extraordinary is that he's responding so well to your treatments. I'd've expected all sorts of problems by now."

"We have Ms Bush to thank for that," Miller informed. "Apparently the Visitor informed her at the crash site that we should treat him…well, normally. He also mentioned there were three others with him, but those we found weren't like him."

"The same race, you mean?"

Miller nodded. "The only, er, pieces that were recovered were human."

"Really?" The Doctor tried to sound surprised, but already suspected this having recognized the wreckage of the ship as being human in design. "Is that conclusive?"

"Very. There were three different sets of DNA. All human males." Pausing, Miller added, "Something odd, though. While the lab was testing the…remains, they sort of, disintegrated."

"Disintegrated?"

"Just…crumbled away to dust. I've never heard of anything like it. Well, not in fresh tissue, that is."

"As though time were catching up to them," the Doctor muttered thoughtfully, a faraway look in his eyes.

"I suppose so. The lab has no idea what caused it."

A scowl creased the Time Lord's face as he took in this piece of information. He had every idea what had caused it but was uncertain as to its significance. "I take it back, Dr. Miller. That _is_ interesting. Thank you."


	12. What Am I Going To Do With You?

**CHAPTER 12**

"**WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH YOU?"**

The Doctor put all the papers in front of him away as he mulled over Dr. Miller's newest unsettling bit of information. He got to his feet and went into the Critical Care Unit where Mel was still keeping watch over the recovering alien. His companion sat up a little more in her chair when he entered, stretching the same time. "Still sleeping like a baby," she informed.

The Time Lord did not reply, taking a seat beside her. Before he could ask any of the dozens of questions Mel could see in his eyes she beat him to it. "All right, Doctor," she said firmly, "I've given you time to read all the files without pestering you once. Now will you _please_ tell me how you got from tracking your temporal disturbance in orbit to a military base the middle of Florida?"

The Doctor gave his companion a glowing smile. "Actually, you're more in the northeast of Florida, Mel," he corrected mildly.

"At a defunct private airport now being used for secret purposes under the guise of a movie set for Army training films," Mel completed proudly.

The Doctor gave her a surprised and admiring look. "You _have_ been busy, haven't you? And it's training films for all the branches of the military." His companion stuck her tongue out at him. Ignoring this slight he continued. "I managed to track the termination point to an area over the Atlantic Ocean. It had faint traces of an interstellar ion drive mingled in. So instead of wasting time trying to find the ship and missing our rendezvous, I contacted UNIT. They specialize in that sort of thing. UFO's and the like."

Mel raised an eyebrow. She had never heard of the organization until her arrival on Base, and now here was the Doctor talking about it as if it were common knowledge. When she remarked on this, he gave her a brief run down of his association with the group and his stint as their unpaid Scientific Advisor. "That's how I met the Brigadier, only he was a Colonel when we first bumped into one another," he said wistfully.

Mel had met Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart at the same time she met the Doctor, but they had been very close-mouthed as to the details surrounding their longstanding friendship. Now she understood why.

"Lieutenant Benton was Sergeant Benton in what the Brigadier likes to call his 'blood and thunder days,'" the Doctor was saying. "I pop back from time to time, just to keep a hand in."

"I'll bet. Are you the reason for my miraculous security clearance?"

The Doctor gave a wry smile. "That one surprised me as well," he admitted. "Had to make a quick temporal jump to straighten out your timeline." Suddenly he was very serious and looked over at the bed. "Tell me, Mel, what did your friend here say when you found him? Did he tell you anything helpful? Like who he is and where he was going?"

A troubled look came to Mel's face as she followed his gaze across the room. "Yes. And to be honest, that's been worrying me. He said he was on a diplomatic mission to Earth."

"Earth? That's unlikely. There are no interstellar treaties yet."

"There are no interstellar _anything_ yet," his companion pointed out. "People still think aliens are little green men from Mars not humanoid Alterrans from goodness knows—"

"_Alterrans?" _the Doctor seized the word, his voice rising in pitch, "He told you he was Alterran?" He was already on his feet, studying the figure in the bed more closely. "_That's _where I've seen those bio-readings before," he added under his breath.

Completely thrown by this sudden change in mood, Mel followed the Doctor to the bedside. "Not exactly." She recounted the incident with the Medic, going on to say, "He told me he was Ambassador Krystovan on a diplomatic mission to Earth."

The Time Lord turned sharply to her. "Say that again."

"He told me he was Ambassador Krystovan on a diplomatic mission to Earth," his companion repeated patiently.

"Ambassador Krystovan?" the Doctor repeated. "Not _Jason _Krystovan?"

Mel nodded. "Yes. You've heard of him, I take it."

"But…that's impossible! This _is_ the year 2000, isn't it?"

"Yes. So?"

Realizing he needed to back up, the Doctor explained, "Mel, I happen to know an Alterran by that name. But he's more than six hundred years in the future. He can't be in the twenty-seventh century _and_ crash land in the twentieth."

"He can if he rode that temporal disturbance the way we did," his companion said logically.

"My dear Melanie, the TARDIS is a little better suited for that sort of thing. Any conventional craft would've been torn to pieces, or more accurately, _aged_ to pieces, along with every …one…on…" The Doctor blinked, suddenly struck by his own words and the description of what had happened to the remains of the crew; crumbling to dust, as though time itself had caught up with them. Then he remembered the unusually thick plating in the passenger cabin where this lone survivor had been. He looked more closely at the occupant of the bed. Although severely battered and bruised, he appeared untouched by the ravages of time.

Mel stood thoughtfully a moment. "Well…could he be your friend's ancestor?"

The Doctor considered. This was indeed a possibility, as he never did know if Jason had been named after an ancestor. Nonetheless, as he continued to study the gravely injured individual a voice in the back of his mind kept telling him that despite the impossibility of it all this _was _his former traveling companion. A companion with a unique gift.

Looking up at his current companion, the Doctor said, "There is a way to find out."

"I know. Wait till he wakes up again," Mel replied logically.

"No, we don't even need to do that," the Doctor said mysteriously. "I just have to touch him. If I'm right, as soon as my time aura registers, his heart rate will jump." He took hold of the Alterran's left hand; a monitor indicating an increased heart rate the same instant. Then the hand in the Doctor's slowly reacted, the fingers moving slightly. After a few seconds, the hand closed and the Alterran started to stir.

"Yes, I knew it was you," the Doctor said softly as two familiar sapphire blue eyes slowly fluttered open and struggled to focus on him. "Although how you got here is still a mystery to me. What am I going to do with you?" he scolded gently.

As Jason came more awake, he realized the aura registering on his senses was not a dream. He looked at his Time Lord friend in a mixture of relief, bewilderment and amazement. _Another regeneration, Doctor?_ he thought, his eyes taking in the unfamiliar face smiling down at him. His mind tried to filter through the information flooding into it, attempting to analyze a timeline. Which regeneration was this in relation to the last time they had crossed paths? Unfortunately, the only information Jason could access readily was his friend's identity, his mind still too fuzzy to access anything intelligible. The tube in his throat prevented him from speaking but his eyes spoke volumes, as did his grip on the Doctor's hand.

Again Jason tried to move but was prevented by the restraints. He still was not fully cognizant of where he was or what was happening and a wave of absolute terror suddenly rose up in him, the monitors registering his reaction as his heart rate jumped dramatically. As franticly as his weakened body would allow, he pulled at the restraint on his left hand.

"Jason, don't panic!" the Doctor ordered suddenly, taking his friend's arm in an iron grip and holding it immobile. "You're not on a ventilator for nothing. You've already stopped breathing twice. The last thing you need is to put yourself into cardiac arrest. Now calm down!" His friend immediately froze his eyes wide with fear.

A nurse came in at that moment and asked if everything were all right, an alarm having sounded at the nurse's station. The Doctor told her to wait and turned back to his panicked and now fully conscious friend. "Jason, you trust me, don't you?" he asked, looking his friend straight in the eyes. He received a small nod in reply. "Then believe me when I tell you that you are perfectly safe. But if you don't calm down, you'll force me to have you sedated. And you don't want that, do you?"

By this time Mel was on the other side of the bed, an astonished look on her face. Dr. Miller had been instructing her for what seemed like forever on the best way to handle the Visitor when he awoke. "Use a calm soothing tone," he had told her time and again. What would he have thought had he heard the commanding tones the Doctor was using—and successfully!

Seeing the look on her face, the Doctor gave an apologetic smile. "Jason has a, uh…phobia about being tied down," he explained as he removed the restraint from his friend's wrist.

_Only when I'm completely helpless and don't know what the hell is going on_, Jason thought darkly, not taking his eyes from the Time Lord's face.

"That will have to do," the Doctor said sternly, taking his friend's hand again and sandwiching it between his own. "This is the only part of you that survived unscathed. But if you start flailing about you'll pull all your tubes out." He paused before asking firmly, "Now, are you going to calm down? Or am I going to have to have you sedated?"


	13. Prepare For A Shock

**CHAPTER 13**

"**PREPARE FOR A SHOCK…"**

Even though he knew he was reacting to an irrational fear Jason had to will himself to calm down. He concentrated on what the Doctor had said. _"You are perfectly safe."_ Of course he was. The Doctor was there. Closing his eyes, Jason keep this thought in his mind while still hanging onto the Time Lord's hand, his reassuring time aura acting as a lifeline. After a minute his heart rate started to return to normal.

The Doctor gave a satisfied smile and thanked the nurse before dismissing her, stating that it appeared the sedative would not be needed. Once his friend had sufficiently composed himself, he extracted himself from the Alterran's grasp. "Now, Jason. Do you remember what happened to you?" he asked gently. "How you came to be here?"

His friend threw a quick look in Mel's direction.

"I told him his ship crashed," she said in response to this.

The Doctor nodded, but his steady gaze did not waver from Jason's face. "But _you_ don't remember it, do you?" he stressed.

Closing his eyes in resignation, Jason shook his head weakly.

"I thought not." The Doctor straightened, drawing a deep breath. "Well, prepare yourself for shock. You crash landed on Earth—" (Jason's eyes snapped open.) "—in the year 2000."

The Doctor watched as his friend's eyes widened further, his heart rate jumping slightly at the same time. "I told you it would be a shock. That's why UNIT's put its oar in." Jason's eyes narrowed, causing the Time Lord to chuckle. "Oh, you haven't seen them yet, I take it? I wonder how Mr. Benton will react when I tell him who you are."

"Why's that?" This was Mel, who was hanging onto the conversation by a thread.

"Because Jason and I got ourselves entangled with UNIT…Oh, I think it must've been sometime in the late 1970's." The Doctor turned to his former companion for confirmation, turning back when his current companion forcefully said, "Hang on a minute, Doctor. You told me he was from the twenty-seventh century with no way of being in the twentieth."

The Doctor cleared his throat, glancing over at Jason to see an amused, get-yourself-out-of-that-one look in his eyes. "You're no help at all," he chided before saying, "Mel, Jason and I used to travel together. In fact, I think I still have his UNIT paperwork in the TARDIS somewhere."

Mel looked from one to the other. "That explains it!" she blurted out.

The Doctor gave her a baffled look. "Explains what?"

"How we could understand each other," his companion replied, motioning to the Alterran. "You told me that the TARDIS translates everything for me, right? Well it must've been doing it for him too. It's just…for some reason it only worked for the two of us and nobody else."

"That's probably because Jason hasn't been in the TARDIS for a few years," the Doctor replied smugly, only to scowl and give his former companion a questioning look. "It _has_ been a few years, hasn't it?"

Jason shot an amused look in Mel's direction before nodding and opening his hand twice to indicate the number ten.

"Ten years?" the Doctor observed with interest. Looking up, he grinned at his current companion. "As I said, it's probably because Jason hasn't been in the TARDIS for ten years."

_Or it might be because I haven't been in since you've regenerated__,_ Jason added mentally.

A sudden thought struck him and the Doctor turned back to the bed, patting himself down at the same time. "That reminds me. I have something of yours, Jason. I've no idea how I ended up with it…." He produced a small tube from one of his capacious pockets and held it up. "And I kept meaning to give it back, but never seemed to remember."

Seeing the surprised and delighted look in the Alterran's eyes, Mel asked, "What is it?"

With a broad smile, the Time Lord replied, "A little bit of magic." Suddenly he was completely serious. "Mel, I'm supposed to meet with the UNIT liaison in a bit. It's imperative that no one and I mean _no one_ from this time period gets hold of this. Once they take the tube out of his throat, Jason can tell you why. Until that happens, don't let anyone take it. Do you understand?"

The gravity in his voice made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Mel nodded, asking again, "Yes, I understand. What is it? _Really?_ It looks like a tube of lipstick."

"Not quite. This little miracle of Alterran engineering will help Jason recover a hundred times faster than this lot will." The Doctor waved a hand to take in the room. Turning back to the occupant of the bed, he scowled, trying to decide the best place to conceal the energy tube.

Jason reached out, touching the Doctor's arm to get his attention and wiggling his fingers before using them to spell out the word "cast."

"I'm a bit out of practice, Jason," the Doctor confessed. "Once more and slower." He spoke the letters as they were formed to make certain he was reading them correctly. "C-A-S-T."

Jason pointed towards his suspended right arm.

"Ah! The perfect hiding place!" came the delighted reply. Moving to the other side of the bed, the Doctor studied the upraised arm a moment. "This is going to hurt quite a bit, you know. There's not a lot of room in there. Your arm's put together with more metal than bone now."

The Alterran signed again. "S-L-O-W-L-Y."

Although puzzled, the Doctor did as requested and was surprised when the flesh along the side of the cast shimmered as the tube was pressed into it. As soon as it was completely hidden, the Alterran's body lit up momentarily, shocking the unprepared Mel.

"Doctor!" she gasped. "His whole body just…_glowed!_"

"Good. That means it's working," came the unexpectedly bland reply. "After that's had a chance to work you might fill him in on what happened at the crash site." Giving his friend a knowing look, the Doctor said, "It might jog his memory."

Jason responded with a dark look and was contemplating a rude gesture when the Doctor added as an afterthought, "Oh yes, they had to amputate your right leg after the crash, Jason, so you're working on reduced mass."

Mel expected all sorts of reactions to this callous delivery of such devastating news, but not the one it produced. The Alterran's eyes only flickered slightly, a thoughtful look passing across his face. He nodded, signed "O-K," and then closed his eyes, already feeling the relaxing affects of the energy tube.

"Yes, you get some rest and let that do its job," his friend ordered gently. Within a few minutes Jason had drifted into a contented sleep.

Having seen the look of consternation on Mel's face, the Doctor waited for the reprimand he knew was coming. "Doctor," she began threateningly, "how could you tell him about—?"

"Mel, Jason isn't human, he's Alterran," the Time Lord cut in sharply. "He needs to know all the facts about his condition so the energy tube can work properly."

"Why? So he can grow another leg?" came the sarcastic reply.

"Would you believe me if I told you yes?" Not waiting for an answer, the Time Lord straightened, drawing himself to his full height. He turned toward the door, suggesting they give Jason some peace for a short time.

Before Mel could voice an objection, the Doctor was steering her out the door. He had learned from the staff while he was reading the medical records that his companion had not left the Critical Care Unit since early that morning. He firmly but gently suggested that she get something to eat before she made herself sick.

* * *

"_Don't tell me you knew the Ambassador had actually traveled with the Doctor, too?" K'ell'k demanded accusingly._

"_Of course. His connection with everything made him the perfect choice. The only choice," l'X'el replied, adding as an afterthought, "Besides, I already told you the Doctor knew him."_

"_l'X'el! One chance encounter in time I can understand. But this! This moves the realm of coincidence well beyond any kind of acceptable level. It's not random anymore, it's open manipulation."_

_With a wry smile, his brother replied, "And when the Doctor realizes that, he'll want to know who would do such a thing—and then track them down."_

_K'ell'k blinked. "And that will lead him here," he gasped. Before he had the chance to say more he thought he heard a noise outside the vault and jumped down from his chair. As he did so, he put his hand on the console in front of him. The globe responded to the random input and altered the image to an unnamed planet light-years from Earth. _

"_What did you do!" l'X'el gasped in horror._

"_There's somebody outside," K'ell'k replied._

"_The manipulator is masking our presence in a time shift, you idiot!" his brother admonished sharply. "Even if somebody did come in, they wouldn't see us." He returned his attention to the computer and began frantically resetting the controls._


	14. Recovery

**CHAPTER 14**

**RECOVERY**

After convincing his companion to get something to eat, the Doctor went to meet with the UNIT liaison, who turned out to be Lieutenant Benton. Like his companion before him, the Time Lord found UNIT's configuration of the buildings intriguing and wondered what their intentions were for them. He was even more curious when he learned no one had been permanently assigned to the Base as yet, despite the fact that the transfer was to take place in only a few months.

Before the Doctor had the chance to tell Benton the Visitor's identity, a messenger arrived with an enormous case of documents from the NASA team. They reported that some of the recovered pieces of the spacecraft had crumbled to dust, just as the remains of the crew had.

"That would be the result of the temporal distortion," the Doctor informed knowingly.

Benton gave him a puzzled look. "Temporal distortion?" he repeated.

"It's what caused the ship to crash in the first place. It was sucked out of time, much like an automobile being picked up and thrown by a tornado. Only this particular tornado threw the ship six hundred years into the past. Now time is catching up with it and it can't take the strain."

The Lieutenant sat back in his chair, giving a low whistle as he realized the implications. "So the whole lot's going to disintegrate." He looked the Doctor in the eye. "I should probably let them know all this."

"I'm not sure that's wise…"

"I won't argue with that, Doctor."

The Doctor gave him a look that was a combination of admiration and inquiry. "Why do you say that?"

"What we've got now is bad enough, Doc. Weapons, I mean. If I tell them, they may speed up the investigation; find something worse. Let the stuff from the future stay there, I say."

Before the dumbfounded Doctor could respond, someone came to inform the Lieutenant that he had an urgent call from Geneva. Giving a quick apology, Benton left the room.

* * *

When Mel returned to the Critical Care Unit she found Jason awake and off the ventilator. Dr. Miller had removed it only moments before and was in the process of examining his patient's condition, unable to hide his amazement at the Alterran's level of improvement since he regained consciousness. He attributed this rapid recovery to the reduction in sedatives, which was just as well in Jason's view.

Miller jumped when Mel entered the room, bumping Jason's suspended leg and pulling a cry of pain from him. After glaring at the man, the Alterran heaved a sigh of relief. _Finally_, he would be able to talk. Of course, his mouth tasted like plastic, his tongue was dry, swollen, and stuck to the roof of his mouth, but at least the wretched thing was out of his throat.

"Water… please," he said quietly to Mel.

"You really shouldn't—" Dr. Miller cut himself off, a small squeak escaping him. "I understood what he said!" he gasped, looking at Mel in amazement.

Mel and Jason exchanged a knowing look. Now that the Doctor was there, Jason's connection with the TARDIS was complete. She brought over a cup of water and placed the straw in his mouth, a smile passing between them.

Miller cautioned her not to give the Visitor more than a few sips at a time. He had not consumed any food or drink in several days and too much too fast could prove dangerous. Jason nodded his agreement. He kept his responses to Miller's inquiries to only a few words, throwing in some gibberish from time to time to make it appear as if he were still having difficulty with the "alien" language. He also hoped it would keep Mel from being sent away.

When the physician finally left, the Doctor's current and former companions silently studied each other. Jason held out his hand and Mel took it, still unaware of his scanning ability and its connection with his gift of total recall. With the scan came the memory of the crash, Mel's appearance at the site, his trip to the base, the events in the Emergency Room and her presence the whole time.

"I'd like to kiss you…" the Alterran said finally, planting a kiss on the back of her hand. "But that's the best I can do. Thank-you."

Mel gave him an amused smiled. "It was only a drink of water."

"That's for being there, for being here, and for saving my life."

Unable to think of a more suitable response, Mel said simply, "Your welcome. You remember the crash, then?"

"Not…entirely," he lied, feeling a twinge in his conscience at the same time. "I remember why I was on that ship now. My mission."

"I don't think you should be talking so much just yet," she cut in quickly. "That thing's been in your throat a long time."

"Feels like…forever."

Mel held up her free hand, wiggling her fingers. "That…spelling thing you did with the Doctor. Can you teach it to me?"

"Sure. What language?" Jason asked with an amused smile.

Mel was about to admit she had not thought of this when she heard the Alterran chuckle softly. "Oh, you!" she chided, giving his left arm a playful slap. "English, of course. And before you say it'll take too long, I think you should know I have a photographic memory. I even have film in today."

Jason chuckled again, wincing in pain this time. "I have a…strange kind of…total recall myself." The woman beside him looked up sharply and turned towards the door. "Drives him crazy, doesn't it?" he remarked, knowing she was thinking about the Doctor

Now it was Mel's turn to laugh. "The Doctor's idea of a joke is to say I have a memory like an elephant. Do _I_ look like an elephant?"

This made Jason laugh and then groan in pain. "Oh, don't…make me laugh."

"Sorry, Mr. Ambassador."

"Jason, please. My friends call me Jason." The Alterran gave her a sideways glance. "You _are_ my friend, aren't you?"

Mel smiled, squeezing his hand. "You're right. Jason."

After a pause, he asked seriously, "How are the others? My crew?" The look on Mel's face, along with her silence was answer enough and he closed his eyes in sorrow, leaning back onto his pillows.

"I'm so sorry," Mel said gently.

"All of them?" he asked mournfully.

"Yes." She did not tell him what state they had been in when found. That graphic piece of news could wait until he was stronger—and for someone else to reveal. "You should be resting, not talking. Remember what the Doctor said. Give that thing he gave you a chance to work."

"It's been working the whole time, actually," Jason informed quietly. "Here, I'll show you." He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, letting it out slowly, a peaceful look coming to his face at the same time. For a split second, his face and neck glowed.

To Mel's amazement when the Alterran spoke again his voice was strong and clear. "Does this sound a little better?" He laughed at the look on her face, wincing as he did so. "Oh, it still hurts to laugh."

"The Doctor wasn't kidding about a little bit of magic, was he?" she said in astonishment

"It's not magic. It's molecular transmutation."

"Sure it is."

"If you have a spare decade, I can explain it in detail. Suffice it to say, that little miracle is supplying the energy my body needs to repair itself." Jason paused. "It's…radioactive. That's why the Doctor didn't want anyone getting hold of it."

"Radioactive?" Mel gasped. She tried to take a step back but Jason would not let go of her hand. "Don't worry you're perfectly safe," he reassured. "It's activated by my body chemistry. But if a…um, human decided to open it and broke the seal, they'd get a very nasty surprise—a lethal dose of radiation."

"I understand." Mel was becoming more fascinated by the minute. "The Doctor said something about you being able to repair yourself. Repair as in broken bones?"

"In a manner of speaking. Until I have enough energy stored, I can't change back to—" The Alterran broke off, giving her a thoughtful look. "Mel, how long have you been traveling with the Doctor?"

Thrown by this sudden non sequitur, Mel blinked. "What?"

"Has it been very long?"

"A few months. Why?"

Jason continued to study her. "It's just…I'm not sure how you'll take what I'm about to tell you. I tend to frighten humans, you see." The serious edge to his voice made Mel stiffen involuntarily. "I've frightened you already. Now, that was brilliant."

"No, no. Whatever you have to say, just go ahead and say it. I can decide for myself."

Jason considered. "Fair enough." He went over his explanation in his head and realized it would be far too intricate to deal with at that particular point in time. He put his hand to his head and confessed, "I think I'll go into it later. It's very complicated." Glancing at his suspended arm, he added, "And I can't exactly draw diagrams."

Mel smiled. "Okay. When you're stronger you can tell me your life's story."

"You must suffer from insomnia," Jason remarked aridly, causing the woman beside him to laugh. In a serious tone, he said, "You were angry when the Doctor when he told me about my leg, weren't you?"

"Yes. And, to be honest, I was amazed you weren't more upset."

"Mel, you're sweet and kind and very, very human." The Alterran leaned back and smiled. "I'm…adorable." (Mel giggled.) "And very, very _not_ human. The Doctor knows that. In fact, he knows more about me than any outsider I know. But I suppose…after close to two centuries, he should do," he added thoughtfully.

"Two_ centuries?"_ Mel repeated in amazement. "Jason, just how old are you?"

"I'll be two hundred and ninety-four on my next birthday." With a grin, he asked, "You still want to hear my life's story?"

"You wear it well."

"That's just it. I don't really look like this. I know how that sounds, but it's true." Jason looked up at the contraption keeping his arm and leg suspended. "And once I have enough energy to get out of this badly disguised torture device, I'll be able explain it better. In fact, I'll show you something _really_ amazing."

"Then you'd better save your energy," Mel said practically. "Don't waste it talking to me."

Settling back on his pillows as best he could, Jason acknowledged defeat. "Okay, you win."

"I usually do," she grinned.

In a serious tone, the Alterran said, "One thing though. Don't let that fool Miller know about my being stronger. In fact, don't let anybody know." An evil smile passed over his face as he said, "I want it to be a surprise."


	15. You Lead, I'll Follow

**CHAPTER 15**

"**YOU LEAD, I'LL FOLLOW."**

As soon as Jason drifted off to sleep, Mel returned to her chair, being more determined than ever to see that the energy tube stayed in his possession. He awoke several hours later, looking and sounding considerable stronger than before. Colonel Hildebrand had been at the nurse's station for nearly an hour and got to his feet when he saw Mel cross to the bedside. "We've got company," she said warningly. "Commanding officer. Keep up your alien act. He's a real stuffed shirt."

"Got it." Jason gave her a small smile. "How are you at stringing people along?"

Mel flashed a smile. "You lead, I'll follow. That's what I usually do with the Doctor."

"Don't we all," the Alterran moaned, going on to quickly outline a plan of action.

Had Hildebrand not hesitated before entering he would have caught the end of the quiet conspiratorial exchange. Instead, he entered cautiously and introduced himself, receiving a weak smile and nod of acknowledgment. "I wanted to make sure you were being looked after properly," he said conversationally.

"Thank you," the Alterran said softly. "I was…concerned."

"Concerned?" Hildebrand scowled, throwing a questioning look in Mel's direction.

"The Ambassador has heard unfavorable stories about the Earth's military," Mel informed. "He was worried about being…um, harmed, I think."

"_Ambassador!"_ the Colonel gasped, giving her a startled look. Turning back to the recovering alien, his attitude changed dramatically, going from suspicious to appeasing. "No need to worry, Mr. Ambassador," he assured. "You're quite safe here."

Jason gave him an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Colonel."

"Perhaps we can…um, talk a bit more. About your…um, being here. On Earth, I mean."

"I would like that…very much."

The astonished look this remark produced made Jason laugh despite himself. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, this was still very painful and he closed his eyes and groaned, holding his aching side with his left hand.

Before the suddenly panicked Hildebrand could say anything, Mel intervened. "I think you should rest, Excellency," she said firmly. "You still have a lot of mending to do."

Jason gave her a tired look and nodded. "Yes. You are…correct."

Taking the hint, the Colonel bid them both good-night. He was scarcely out of sight when Jason's eyes snapped open, and he laughed again, only to groan in pain once more. "Oh Lord, that hurts," he moaned. "You're going to kill me if you keep this up, Mel."

"He's so full of himself," she replied sharply. "I wish someone would take him down a peg."

"Well don't look at me, I'm supposed to be a diplomat. That's usually the Doctor's department," Jason said quietly. "That reference about the military was a touch of genius. For a minute there I thought you were going to bring up alien autopsies."

Mel laughed, taking his hand. "It did cross my mind, but I thought it might be a bit much."

Jason studied her a moment. "You look exhausted. Have you been here all day?"

"For the most part," she replied airily. "I wanted to make sure no one took that little miracle out of your cast before it finished doing its job. Especially now I know how dangerous it is."

"Thank you again," the Alterran said gratefully, kissing the back of her hand. "It's not really dangerous. So long as it stays sealed, that is. I have enough energy stored so I can shift its position now. Then if they do decide to x-ray my arm again, it'll be hidden in all the other metal in there."

"More magic?" Mel asked in a fascinated tone.

"You could say that. Now why don't _you_ go get some sleep? I'm sure I can manage on my own until morning."

"Okay, now _you _win," Mel conceded. "I'll be back, so don't go anywhere."

Jason groaned, closing his eyes. "I was hoping you'd resist the temptation to say that the way you did in the ship."

"Jason, you said you couldn't remember that!" she admonished sharply.

The Alterran gave a self-conscious smile. "It's to do with my…strange gift of total recall."

"Really? You can tell me all about it along with the story of your life in the morning," she said with a devilish grin.

Mel bid Jason good-night and returned to her quarters to find a Jeep parked out front that the Doctor had "borrowed" from UNIT. He had then entrenched himself in her kitchen. Mel found him in his shirtsleeves, a stack of paperwork on the table in front of him. It was obvious he was going to be there all night and she bid him good-night, being determined to return to the Critical Care Unit as early in the morning as possible.

* * *

Because Jason's condition was a simple physical injury rather than severe energy depletion, he did not sleep continuously during the energy tube's non-stop output. He was thankful the sedatives had been halted, which allowed him to think more clearly each time he awoke. With no windows, clocks or other points of reference, he had no idea as to the time of day, and only knew it was presently night because of Mel's departure.

After several hours of fitful sleep, the Alterran awoke to see some activity outside his room. He watched in bewilderment as Dr. Miller and Colonel Hildebrand stood engaged in what looked like a conspiratorial conversation. Their voices were too low and the glass was too thick for him to hear what they were saying. After a few minutes, Miller noticed him watching and apparently informed Hildebrand, who turned to the door, an enormous grin on his face. He entered the room all smiles, and as far as Jason was concerned, all falsehoods.

"Mr. Ambassador," the Colonel oiled, "we didn't wake you, I hope?"

"No. I wake up…often, it seems," Jason replied softly, keeping up his pretense of infirmity. "Your…people here are…" He paused as if searching for the right words. "Good to me."

"I'm glad to hear it," the officer replied happily.

"My mission is to harvest—no, not harvest." Another pause. "Gather? Yes, gather information on your world." Giving the Colonel a small smile, Jason added, "I had not planned on… crashing in order to do that."

By now Hildebrand was unable to hide his excitement. An alien Ambassador whose mission was to collect information on the peoples of Earth, and he had him right there in front of him. "I would be honored if you'd allow me to assist you in your mission. Once you're recovered, of course. Take you to our government leaders…"

Jason put on his best surprised look. "You would do that, Colonel? I would not wish to…um, cause difficulty—no, no…" With an apologetic look, he said, "I sent Miss Bush to rest. Your words do not come easily for me."

"That's quite alright, sir. You just take your time."

The Alterran gave a small smile and tried again, sounding as if every word were a challenge. "I would not wish to _inconvenience_ you. That is what I wished to say."

"No inconvenience at all. No, no, no, no, no. Don't give it another thought." The officer waved his hands in the air. "I'd be more than honored to assist you in any way possible."

"That pleases me. Miss Bush has told me…much of what I have heard of your world is a…" Pausing a moment, Jason gave the officer a look so piercing the man took a small step back. "What were her words? Oh, yes. Much of what I have heard is a distortion of the facts." He smiled as though proud to have retrieved the phrase.

"She's absolutely right there, sir."

Thinking he had strung the man along enough for one sitting, the Alterran leaned back on his pillows. "I will sleep now, please," he said softly. "We must talk more on this later…in small pieces."

The Colonel gave him a baffled look.

"Detail? Yes, we must talk more in _detail_. When I am stronger."

Hildebrand's face was positively glowing by this time. "Yes, of course, you get plenty of rest. We'll have all the time in the world to iron out the details." So saying, the delighted man turned and left, going straight to the waiting Dr. Miller. The two began an animated conversation, setting off the alarm in Jason's head once again. He closed his eyes, his eyelids shimmering a split second as they changed, allowing him to see what was going on while still appearing to be asleep. It was obvious the Colonel was excitedly relating the conversation he had just had as he waved a hand in Jason's direction several times. Miller nodded enthusiastically, going on to relate some other pertinent information.

"Now just what are you two plotting?" Jason wondered suspiciously when the men glanced in his direction. "And am I going to like it?"


	16. The Visitor's Visitor

**CHAPTER 16**

**THE VISITOR'S VISITORS**

Mel did not realize how incredibly tired she was until she woke up the next morning. She discovered the Doctor had already gone when she came out of her bedroom, his coat still on the back of the chair where he'd hung it the night before. There was a note on the kitchen table telling her that someone from UNIT had come at six o'clock to take him to a meeting that was prior to a briefing of all UNIT personnel scheduled for eight o'clock. Since he _did _know how tired she was, he had chosen not to wake her.

It was nearly eight o'clock when Mel arrived at the Critical Care Unit. She found a great deal of activity going on and Dr. Miller at the nurse's station with a couple of orderlies. Mel could tell by the look on his face that he was not pleased to see her, although she did not know why. "Please don't wake him, Ms Bush," Miller said sharply as she opened the door to Jason's room.

"I wasn't going to," she replied defensively. "Why? What's going on?"

"Nothing." Realizing he had answered too quickly the physician gave an ingratiating smile. "The Visitor is being transferred from the Critical Care Unit to another room, that's all."

From his tone Mel suspected that this was not all, but kept this thought to herself. She went into Jason's room, finding he was not asleep and had been watching the exchange through his altered eyelids. "So I'm being moved, am I?" he said quietly. Seeing Mel's startled expression, he added, "Act casual. I'm asleep."

Mel's back was to the door and a conspiratorial smile crossed her face as she moved casually toward the monitors, acting as if she were checking the readings. "How did you know that?"

"My hearing is more acute than a human's. You may also think I'm more paranoid but I'm sure he's planning something. I just don't know what yet."

"Well, if you're paranoid, so am I. I got that impression too," Mel confirmed. "There can't be more than a couple dozen rooms in this so called hospital."

"Colonel Hildebrand dropped in last night for another chat. He's very keen on getting me on his side. Wants to help me in my mission as much as possible."

"An alien Ambassador in his pocket?"

"Yes. But he's not—" The suspicion that had been whispering in the back of Jason's mind suddenly screamed out an answer. "Did you see anyone from UNIT out there?"

"No…." Mel turned slowly to look out the glass-front of the room.

"Aren't they supposed to be in charge of me?"

Mel turned back to hide the stunned expression on her face. "There's a meeting of all UNIT personnel going on right now. The Doctor left me a note about it. The only reason I'm not there is because he didn't want to wake me." Her eyes narrowed as she realized, "But he did set my alarm so I'd be here by eight o'clock."

"What do you suppose he suspects that he's not telling us?"

Before Mel could reply Dr. Miller came in, followed by the orderlies. The Alterran opened his eyes making it appear as though this had awakened him. He smiled weakly, his eyes seeming to have difficulty staying open. Mel took in this performance in a combination of amazement and amusement. She was also impressed at how debilitated he suddenly seemed to have become in five short seconds.

"Good morning, Mr. Ambassador," Dr. Miller said grandly. "You'll be pleased to know you're making excellent progress."

Jason gave him an unfocused smile of greeting. "I…I…" He swallowed hard. "I hurt."

Nodding, Miller came over to the bedside. "That's to be expected. You still have a lot of healing to do yet." He had a syringe in his hand and injected its contents into Jason's I.V. "That should help. You're due for a pain killer."

Having suspected something untoward from this man, Jason had already taken the precaution of rerouting the I.V. through his system so it was not absorbed. As soon as the injection was made he scanned the incoming solution, verifying his suspicions when he detected a powerful sedative.

"Just relax and let that work," Miller was saying. "You'll feel better in a—" To his horror, his patient started to gasp for breath, reaching out a hand in his direction. Before the physician knew what was happening, Jason had pulled the I.V. stand over, sending it crashing to the floor. Miller grabbed the flaying extremity, held it down, and started fastening a restraint around the wrist.

"No!" Mel exclaimed. "He's terrified of being tied down!" An orderly held her back as Dr. Miller continued to work.

Jason's monitors started squealing for attention as one alarm after another was triggered. For a brief instant, his eyes locked with Mel's. To her astonishment, they seemed to glow fiercely, their intensity startling her. "I'm sorry, Mel," Jason said firmly. A second later, he was convulsing violently. The bed shook to such an extent that the ropes holding his suspended arm and leg were released, wrenching a scream of agony from the flailing form. Then, as suddenly as the fit started, it ended and the Alterran went completely limp. The same instant another monitor screamed for attention and Miller looked at it in a panic.

"Code Blue!" he yelled. "Get a crash cart in here, stat!"

Mel watched in horror as a medical team worked for forty-five minutes on the motionless Alterran. They did everything but open his chest and pump his heart by hand but could do nothing to save him. By nine o'clock it was all over and the exhausted Dr. Miller was forced to pronounce the Visitordead.

"This is all your fault!" Mel screamed accusingly at the physician. "If you hadn't made him panic—" Unable to go on, she collapsed into tears and ran from the room, her only thoughts being to find the Doctor.

* * *

Blissfully unaware of what was happening in the hospital, the Doctor had just arrived at Mel's quarters and was placing the box of additional notes from UNIT's NASA team onto the kitchen table. His distraught companion suddenly burst through the front door, her face red from crying.

"Mel, what on earth—?" he gasped.

"They killed him!" she blurted out. "Doctor, they killed him! He's dead!"

"What? Slow down, Mel. They killed who? _Who's _dead?"

The Doctor was unprepared for the answer. "Jason! Doctor, they killed Jason." Mel burst into tears and hugged him tightly. The Doctor stood staring into space as he held his distraught companion, not quite believing what he was hearing. He waited until Mel got control of herself and sat her down, very calmly asking her to tell him exactly what had happened.

After relating the whole appalling story, Mel looked the Doctor in the eyes. "He seemed so much stronger last night. And this morning…."

The Doctor reflected on all this. It had been more than eighteen hours since he had given Jason the energy tube, and that was more than enough time for the Alterran's energy reserves to normalize. This could only mean that there was more going on than met the eye. An elaborate deception, perhaps?

"Mel, you said Jason said something to you before—" He broke off when his companion looked as though she were about to burst into tears again. "What did he say? _Exactly._"

"It didn't make any sense," Mel replied, wiping tears from her face. "He looked right at me and said, 'I'm sorry, Mel.' What would he have to be sorry about?"

To her astonishment and horror, the Doctor actually started to laugh. "Doctor, it's not funny! I thought he was your friend!" she admonished sharply.

"It is, and he is," the Time Lord replied happily. "My dear Melanie, Jason isn't dead. He faked it. That's why he said he was sorry. He knew how it would upset you and apologized in advance." He got to his feet and headed for the door, searching his pockets for the keys to the Jeep as he went. "Come on. If we hurry, we'll get there in time."

Mel was still reeling from the incredible news. "Time for what? Where are we going?"

"To the morgue, of course. I've an autopsy to prevent." He triumphantly produced the keys and vanished through the door, leaving his thoroughly confused companion staring after him.

* * *

_A subdued K'ell'k had returned to his seat, saying nothing as his brother frantically worked at the controls. They had come so far and might even be close to succeeding in what he had originally thought was a ridiculously foolhardy scheme. Now it could all be ruined by his instant of carelessness._

_The globe had changed color several times, displaying numerous planets and sections of space, none of which were the correct ones. Suddenly the image of the Mel's quarters swirled into being and l'X'el was about to make a triumphant announcement when Mel burst in and blurted out the story of the Ambassador's death. _


	17. Vanishing Act

**CHAPTER 17**

**VANISHING ACT**

A very subdued Dr. Miller sent the body of the Visitor to the Base's morgue before reporting the unfortunate news to Colonel Hildebrand who was less than pleased. While having the body of a genuine alien to examine was a coup unto itself, it was not as preferable as having a living, breathing, _talking _alien to explain all the gadgets in the spaceship that was currently being dismantled at NASA. The Visitor—the Ambassador!—had been very personable, obviously unaware of his own importance, which was all the better for Hildebrand who had been envisioning the accolades that would accompany his being able to introduce a genuine alien Ambassador as a personal friend to all the top brass in government, maybe even the President himself!

Jason's body was wheeled into the morgue and placed on a metal table. Because of the limited staff on the Base, Dr Miller also acted as coroner and had ordered the orderly who transported the body to prepare it for autopsy. The reluctant man removed the casts, bandages and other medical paraphernalia. He wondered if they should also wash the body. He knew it would not greatly improve the appearance, but at least it would remove all the dead skin.

After several agonizing minutes, the man came to a decision and washed Jason's body. At the same time, he could not help making a cursory examination. The body was covered with bruises from the crash, as well as swollen areas from surgery. The one thing that struck him was how "human" this alien appeared. He knew from the lab technicians that the alien's body chemistry was of a completely different order, but the surgical team said that the internal organs were identical in configuration to those of a human.

Throwing a sheet over the Alterran's naked form, the orderly nodded proudly to himself and left. The instant he was gone Jason sat up, pulled the sheet from his face and looked around, his eyes sparkling. "Thanks for the bath," he muttered sardonically, shaking his wet hair and pushing it out of his eyes. "You're supposed to do that _after_ the autopsy, moron."

Jason turned, throwing his good leg over the side of the table. His entire body shimmered and a second leg appeared where there had been only a stump. At the same time, his other injuries healed over, sutures vanishing along with his bruises. Within seconds, he was completely whole again. He looked down at the energy tube that was now in his left hand. "I think I love you," he said happily, giving it a kiss.

Closing his eyes, the Alterran held his right hand over the sheet and concentrated a moment. His arm and shoulder shimmered and all the metal plates and screws fell out of the outstretched hand and onto the metal table, the sheet muffling the clangs as they fell.

Voices came faintly through the door, causing Jason to look up, his head snapping around in the direction of the sound. Hopping down from the table, he looked around quickly, wondering if he should hide or just blend in with the other bodies. He noticed the entrance was a swinging double door and hid in the corner while he tried to decide what disguise to use. Considering his location, he felt a generic medical look was in order and transmuted again, his naked form suddenly being clothed in the same uniform he had seen the orderlies wear. As the voices grew louder, he hoped the doors would conceal him when the men entered. To his relief, they did. Several men in uniform came into the room led by Dr Miller. They were all so intent on seeing the dead alien that they failed to see the live one slip out the door behind them.

Then all hell broke loose.

Ignoring the pandemonium he had left behind, except possibly to chuckle at the noise, Jason made his way to the lab, reasoning this to be where his amputated body parts would have ended up. Alarms started to go off, heralding the discovery that his body was missing.

"Maybe you should have mentioned alien autopsies, Mel," the Alterran snickered.

Jason found the lab without difficulty, changing into a slightly overweight, blond woman on the threshold before pushing open the door. He informed the first person he met that he had been sent by Dr. Miller to get all the tissue that had been removed from the Visitor.

"What the hell does he want all that for?" the technician asked, his eyes giving away their location at the same time.

"Didn't you hear?" the disguised Alterran said in a conspiratorial tone. "The body's been stolen. Right out of the morgue."

There was a chorus of murmurs in response to this juicy piece of gossip.

"Dr. Miller and Colonel Hildebrand were going at it," Jason went on, "and Miller suddenly looked at me and said, 'Go to the lab and get everything we took from the Visitor before that gets taken too.' So…here I am."

"Sounds like a good idea," someone across the room remarked.

As the specimens were being collected, Jason decided to add to his performance as reluctant female messenger. "This stuff I'm supposed to be getting. It isn't…gross, is it?"

The reply was a chorus of chuckles.

Within minutes, Jason was pushing a covered cart from the lab, absently wondering how human females managed to walk in short skirts and high heels on a daily basis. He went slowly down the hall moving aside as soldiers ran past on the way to the morgue. Then he patiently waited with several others for an elevator.

When the lift arrived, Jason realized the others were going up, the elevator itself heading down. He boarded alone, a smug expression coming to his face the moment the doors closed. He pushed the button for the lowest level, changing back to his male self and reabsorbing his lost body mass from the specimens on the cart as the lift descended. The doors opened to reveal what he could only assume was a sub-basement. With an amused smirk on his face, he exited elevator, leaving the empty cart inside.

Then, without as much as a backward glance, the Alterran finished his vanishing act by disappearing from the building completely.


	18. Another Doctor From UNIT

**CHAPTER 18**

**ANOTHER DOCTOR FROM UNIT**

The Doctor and Mel entered the chaos within the morgue, having missed Jason's escape by mere seconds. Upon seeing them, Colonel Hildebrand strode up angrily. "You're responsible for this," he said accusingly. "Don't even bother to deny it."

Having never laid eyes on the man before, the Doctor bristled at this openly hostile greeting and Mel could see the Colonel was about to be taken down several pegs. "Since I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about, I can't deny anything," the Doctor replied caustically.

"The Visitor's body is gone," the Colonel informed sharply. "Stolen. And I know you UNIT people did it."

The Doctor's eyes flickered. "Oh yes, I admit it. I'm your man." He held up his hands in mock surrender, his voice now dripping with sarcasm. "Give him the body, Mel. You know they'll find it in your handbag as soon as they search us." Turning back to the Colonel, he added dryly, "It never ceases to amaze me what they can fit in those things."

"Don't play the fool with me, Doctor," the Colonel snapped.

"I don't have to," the Time Lord retorted sharply. "You're doing a fine job of it all by yourself." The officer's face darkened in anger but he was prevented from saying anything as the Doctor went on. "Now _do_ use your brain, man. How could we possibly—?"

"You're not the only UNIT personnel on Base. I've gotten nothing but flack from Geneva ever since the Visitorarrived. They couldn't get a hold of him when he was alive, so now…" He waved a hand in the direction of the morgue to make his point.

"As I recall," the Doctor replied coldly, "this base is _supposed_ to be in the process of being turned over to UNIT. Which rather puts the question, where were _you_ moving the Visitor this morning, Dr. Miller?" He turned pointedly to the physician, who squirmed as the full force of the Time Lord's personality turned in his direction. "My companion tells me there was no one from UNIT other than herself anywhere in the building."

The Colonel's eyes narrowed. He threw a warning glance in Dr. Miller's direction and the physician wisely remained silent. At that moment Lieutenant Benton arrived and was quickly apprised of the situation. He shared the Doctor's curiosity as to where and why the Visitor was being moved, especially since no one seemed to have authorized it.

"Well, now that we have all _that_ sorted out," the Doctor said sharply, turning to Benton, "I think you and I should have a little chat on what to do next."

"I've already sealed off the Base," Hildebrand announced, attempting to reassert his authority. "And a search is being organized even as we speak. There aren't that many places you can hide a body in this heat. Not unless you want it to start decomposing right away." So saying, the Colonel strode off in a huff.

"Oh, you'd be surprised," the Time Lord sing-songed, exchanging a knowing look with his companion.

The Lieutenant gave him a suspicious, questioning look. "Now what don't I know that I probably don't want to know, Doctor?" he asked hesitantly, his tone causing Mel to giggle.

The Doctor's smile broadened and he clasped Benton around the shoulders, leading him out. "Mr. Benton, do you remember my young friend Jason?"

* * *

In an apparently deserted office not far from the front gate, a well-dressed civilian sat patiently awaiting the return of the office staff. He was watching the activity outside in amusement, soldiers running in all directions as the Base was sealed off.

This seemingly abandoned individual was none other than the missing Jason Krystovan, who had changed his appearance yet again. He had taken on his usual human form but had aged himself to appear in his early fifties, his curly black hair cropped short and interspersed with gray.

A woman in the uniform of a sergeant came out of the back where a hurried conference had been called. She jumped when she saw the well-dressed gentleman waiting in the front office area, his hands folded atop the briefcase in his lap. "Excuse me," she said politely. "I don't mean to sound rude, but um…how did you get in here?"

A dazzling smile lit up Jason's face. He put the briefcase on the floor and rose to his feet, holding out his identification and completely ignoring the question "I'm Dr. Krystovan. I believe you're expecting me." Since he already knew no one was expecting him, he was not surprised by the Sergeant's reaction. She gave him a bewildered look, glancing at the identification.

"You're from UNIT?" she said at last.

"Yes. I was sent by Geneva to examine a patient here. The Visitor, I think is the way they put it," Jason informed. He reacted as though seeing her confusion for the first time. "They didn't tell you I was coming, did they? How typical."

The Sergeant gave a small polite smile. "If you'd just wait a moment, please, er, Dr. Krystovan."

Jason nodded and sat down again, watching as the flustered woman went back into the conference room. He could hear a muffled exchange as his presence was announced. A few minutes later Lieutenant DeWitt appeared. "Well, at least I'm moving up the chain of command," he said to himself as he got to his feet a second time. Taking in the officer's uniform, he raised an eyebrow. _A Marine. Now that's interesting,_ he noted, wondering at the same time what had happened to everyone from UNIT. Surely the meeting must be over by now.

The officer held out his hand. "Dr. Krystovan? I'm Lieutenant DeWitt. Sorry about the mix up. Things have been really crazy around here today."

Shaking the man's hand, Jason replied, "So I see. I seem to've arrived in the middle of a security drill."

The Lieutenant's jaw twitched as he smiled. "Something like that. There's been a change in the Visitor'sstatus. I'll let Colonel Hildebrand explain it all."

"Colonel Hildebrand? Is he the Base Commander?"

"On a manner of speaking," DeWitt replied unhelpfully. He returned Jason's identification and then held out a hand, leading the way out of the building. A car was already waiting and as Jason got in, the officer gave the driver orders to take him to the Colonel's office. Then he bid the Alterran good-bye before returning to his office to coordinate the search for the very man he had just sent across the compound.

* * *

"Dr. Krystovan?" Colonel Hildebrand said as the Alterran entered his office. "I wasn't expecting anyone _else_ from UNIT. Especially another doctor."

Jason picked up the edge to his voice, and had to force himself to suppress a smile. "Really? There's another UNIT physician here?" he said in his best confused tone.

"Yes. He arrived yesterday. Some kind of language specialist.

"Ooooh, _that_ Doctor. Tall, blond, looks like he raided a circus wardrobe?"

The Colonel actually laughed. "That's him."

"He's not an MD, I'm afraid, Colonel. That's why I was sent. I've, eh, a bit more experience with alien physiology." Jason wished he wasn't the only one to appreciate the irony of this last statement. "From what I could gather from Lieutenant DeWitt, there's been a change in the Visitor'sstatus. He's hasn't taken a turn for the worse, has he?"

The Colonel cleared his throat, inwardly wondering if this man were involved in the events of the past few hours. He gave a quick run down of what had happened that morning, noting the man's appalled expression. "Looks like you've had a wasted trip."

"Not necessarily," Jason remarked. "I'd like to talk to the attending physician, if I might. At least I'll be able to put _something_ in my report to Geneva." He patted the briefcase he had placed on a chair when he entered.

"I'm afraid Dr. Miller is tied up in the search."

"I see. How about the specimens that were removed? Could I examine those?"

The Colonel cleared his throat in embarrassment. "They're gone too. A woman walked right into the lab, bold as brass, and carried them off. At least we have video footage of her from outside the elevator. No idea where she went after that. They haven't finished installing the surveillance system yet."

The mention of video surveillance made Jason's heart jump. He had completely overlooked its presence in his hast to escape. In as bland a tone as possible, he asked, "No video in the morgue, I take it?"

"It hasn't exactly been necessary until now. They only use it during the autopsies." Snickering, the Colonel said, "It's not like one of the bodies is going to walk off on its own, is it?"

The Alterran could not help himself and broke into a broad smile, which Hildebrand interpreted as appreciation for his little jest. _If only you knew_, Jason thought, wondering how the officer would react if he learned the truth. "Well, looks like you're right, Colonel," he said at last. "This was a wasted trip. If you can point me in the direction of UNIT's Commanding Officer, I'll get out of your hair." He picked up his briefcase and turned to leave, turning back when Hildebrand said, "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question, Doctor?"

"That depends on what it is," came the guarded reply.

"Oh, nothing top secret. I just wondered where you're from? All these other UNIT people seem to be Brits, but you—"

"Sound like I come from somewhere in the Northeast," Jason completed with a knowing look. "Around the Great Lakes, not New England, right?"

The Colonel gave a satisfied smile. "I thought I recognized a hint of Michigan in there."

The Alterran winced inwardly. "I'm actually just a consultant to UNIT, not 'part of the gang' as it were. I'll tell you what, though, if my wife finds out I've been to Florida without her there'll be hell to pay in the Krystovan household."

The Colonel gave him a sympathetic look. "Good thing that _is_ top secret, isn't it?"

"You said it," Jason agreed. Flashing another smile, he turned on his heel and left.


	19. Together Again

**CHAPTER 19**

**TOGETHER AGAIN**

"Doctor, I really think we should wait," Mel was insisting as she opened the door to her quarters.

"My dear Melanie, there's no need," the Doctor retorted from the bottom of the steps. "Unless I miss my guess—" He broke off when his companion gave a cry of alarm and wasted no time bounding to her side. "What's the matter?"

Mel held out a hand to indicate her suitcases standing neatly arranged by the door. "Someone's been here since we left," she observed quietly.

"Yes. And they appear to've anticipated our departure," the Time Lord remarked with a scowl. "Wait here." He entered cautiously, hearing what he could only assume was the television in the main room. The blinds had been closed, but whether this was to keep the heat out or someone from seeing in he could not say. The room itself, however, was empty. "Doesn't seem to be anyone in here," he muttered as Mel came up beside him.

Sniffing the air, she asked, "Did you leave the coffee on?"

"No," the Doctor replied. His voice sharpened as he turned his gaze to the kitchen. "But I can guess who did."

Suddenly, mug in hand, Jason appeared in the Doctor's line of vision. "It's about time you two got here," he admonished mildly, going into the main room and taking a seat in front of the television. Waving a hand in its general direction, he asked, "Have you seen what passes for news around here? And in a Presidential election year?"

Mel was struck by the oddly familiar American voice as this stranger returned to the gloom of the main room. When he looked up, the light from the television made his eyes seem to glow as they fixed themselves on the uncharacteristically silent Time Lord.

"You going to stand there all day, Doctor?" Jason asked. He reached back and opened the blinds, seeing an odd look on his friend's face when he turned back. "You seem surprised. I thought you'd be expecting me by now."

"It isn't that. It's… You'll forgive the irony of what I'm about to say, but…you've changed." The Doctor took a seat in an opposite chair. "Even a sprinkling of gray."

"Well, I figured if they checked on my file I'd better look like I was a least twenty something years older."

"Did you do that?" Mel asked, motioning to her luggage.

"No, it was like that when I got here," Jason replied. "I'd say someone wants you to leave rather badly."

"Well, since the body of the Visitor has vanished," the Doctor informed, "Lieutenant Benton is withdrawing all UNIT personnel until the Base is officially handed over. Everyone is to assemble by eighteen hundred hours—"

"That's six o'clock, isn't it?" Jason injected playfully, taking a sip of his coffee.

"—for evacuation."

"Great. I was hoping I could hitch a ride with you. If you don't mind, that is."

"Don't mind?" the Time Lord replied sharply. "Of course I don't mind. You don't think I'm going to leave you swanning about in this time period, do you?"

The Alterran broke into an amused grin. "Well at least _I_ managed to gethere on the first try."

"Yes, but in the wrong time zone," the Doctor pointed out sarcastically.

Jason raised an eyebrow and turned pointedly to Mel. "Dare I say it?" he asked, giving the Doctor a sideways glance.

"I'm afraid I'm a bit lost. Are you one of the Doctor's UNIT friends?" Mel injected, causing the two men to laugh.

The Alterran gave the Doctor an almost accusing look. "Didn't you warn her I'd be showing up sooner or later?" Not waiting for a reply, he turned to the puzzled woman. "Mel, I'm Jason."

Mel's mouth dropped open and she looked at the healthy man in front of her before turning to the Doctor, who grinned and nodded. "But…how on earth did you…? Did you…?" she said at last, motioning to his healthy and completely whole physical appearance.

"Earth had nothing to do with it," Jason replied in a harsher tone than he intended. His face softened and he added, "I know I really upset you with my, um, _performance, _Mel. I am sorry about that."

"Never mind that!" Mel exclaimed. "How did you go from a collection of bruises, bandages and…and…."

"Missing parts?" the Doctor added helpfully.

"To a suit?" Jason concluded with a grin. "I think that's the right idiom. I told you as soon as I could get out of that contraption I'd show you something really amazing."

"The Doctor explained about transmuting, but…."

"I know. Most people don't believe it until they see it." Turning to the Doctor, he said, "By the way, I told them I was Dr. Jason Krystovan sent by UNIT Geneva to examine the Visitor."

"Were you indeed?" the Doctor replied amusedly. "Well, I let Benton know who you are, or were, so he wouldn't waste time scouring the countryside for your missing corpse."

"And now I'm to get evacuated along with the rest of you. And here I only just arrived," Jason said in a petulant tone.

"I'll wager you didn't get accused of body snatching," the Doctor chided before explaining, "As it happens, Mel and I were on our way to examine what's left of your ship."

Jason was suddenly very interested and sat up straighter. "Really? Where is it, exactly?"

"UNIT has it in a hangar at the Kennedy Space Center." Holding out a hand in an after-you gesture, the Doctor said, "Benton has very kindly offered to fly us out with the rest of the UNIT entourage."

"Er, _fly?"_

"Is that a problem?"

Jason cleared his throat. "I've just had a rather nasty experience when it comes to flying, if you'll recall, Doctor. And no offence to Mr. Benton, or UNIT, but I'd very much like to keep my feet on the ground for a while. If any flying's to be done, I'll do it under my own power."

"Ah. Well then, I'm sure we can get a ride into the nearest town. We can hire a car from there. We've a couple hours drive ahead of us going over land. And depending on how long it takes this evacuation to take place, we may not get there until late."

"We'll need a place to stay for the night, then," Mel pointed out logically.

"Money would be nice too," Jason injected, throwing a knowing look in the Doctor's direction. "Do you actually have any? Or do we need to procure some?"

"Don't worry, I have money _and_ a credit card," Mel injected, receiving a startled look from both men. "I _am_ supposed to be on vacation, Doctor. You set all that up for me months ago, remember?"

"Oh yes…" the Time Lord muttered. "How very foresighted of me."


	20. Information Exchange

**CHAPTER 20**

**INFORMATION EXCHANGE**

Lieutenant Benton was more than happy to arrange transportation to the nearest town for the Doctor and his companions. He ordered a car and then went to the little group, giving Jason a searching look. "The Doctor told me, um…" he began hesitantly.

"Yes, it's me, John," Jason confirmed amusedly. "A lot older but not necessarily a lot wiser."

The Lieutenant nodded toward the Doctor. "And you didn't come with the Doc?"

Shaking his head, the Alterran replied, "Mel tells me I came down with a very loud bang along the side of the road." With a grin, he confirmed, "I really am—or was—your Visitor. But I wouldn't suggest you go telling everyone that I walked out of the morgue under my own power."

"Having replaced your missing appendage to enable you to do so," the Doctor injected.

"I wouldn't know how to put it in a report," the officer replied. "In fact, I don't know how to put _any_ of this in a report."

The Doctor gave his friend a sympathetic look. "Might I suggest that you report the Visitor simply disintegrated."

Benton brightened. "The way all the other stuff did?" he replied excitedly, a smile coming to his face.

"I did leave all those metal bits and pieces behind," Jason informed helpfully. "I don't exactly need all those foreign objects in my system."

The car arrived at that moment and three travelers bid the very relieved Lieutenant good-bye. An hour later they were away from all military influences and in a rented car heading south. Mel could not help reflecting on the fact that she was very close to the point where the entire, bizarre adventure began. Now it seemed she would make it to the Kennedy Space Center after all, although she doubted she would get anywhere near a scheduled tour.

The Doctor was behind the wheel and driving much too fast for Mel's liking. Apparently oblivious to the speed at which they were traveling, Jason was in the back seat absently fiddling with the pin on the lapel of the Doctor's coat that was neatly folded beside him. Mel found Jason's nonchalance startling and had to remind herself that this alien individual had already demonstrated that he knew the Doctor far better than she did herself. She could not help but wonder at the adventures they had shared in the two centuries they had known each other.

"Alright, Jason," the Doctor said suddenly, startling his companions out of their thoughts, "now that we're not likely to be interrupted or overheard, would you mind telling me what you were doing on that ship in the first place? Mel tells me you were on a diplomatic mission to Earth. But that ship wasn't Alterran in design."

Jason looked up in surprise and sat back. "You've seen it already?"

"Yes. I arrived by way of Cape Canaveral and had a quick peek before being flown up to the Base we've just left. And if you hadn't pulled your vanishing act so early this morning, I'd've been able to tell you all about it before now."

The Alterran flashed a smile. "Point taken." Becoming serious, he drew a deep breath before explaining that he had been selected to head up a multi-galactic delegation that was holding a summit meeting on Earth. A controversy had arisen as to what system could lay claim to four planets in the Heladin system, which was on the fringes of the Alterran Empire. The Gres-Fa-Raayn, a militaristic race, had appeared out of nowhere and claimed sovereignty. The general consensus was that they were only interested in exploiting the planets' minerals and enslaving the population. Until the question of sovereignty was resolved, the Alterran Emperor had taken the bold step of placing the planets under his System's protection, going so far as to send a garrison of Imperial troops to each of the planets as a deterrent against outside aggression. Earth had been selected as neutral ground for the summit, as it had no stake in the disagreement one way or the other. The Earth government had also supplied the delegates' transport ships to keep any posturing, or a show of force, to a minimum.

"I've been in meetings with most of the other delegations for the better part of three weeks," Jason said wearily. "Once the summit is over, the final findings are going to be turned over to an Adjudicatorial tribunal for final disposition."

"A tribunal?" the Doctor said with raised eyebrows. "This _is_ serious."

Jason merely sighed, recalling all the work he had put into the arrangements and official documentation, the latter of which were very likely strewn across half the Florida countryside. "My Uncle and I believe the El'Li'Ono have the legitimate claim, but so many others have—"

"Of course!" the Doctor blurted out, almost losing control of the car at the same time. "The El'Li'Ono accord! That was just after—" He broke off as several other historical facts surrounding the agreement suddenly crashed into one other as they entered his mind. He pointedly closed his mouth, throwing a quick glance into the rearview mirror.

"You wouldn't happen to know if I get back in time to see this obviously historic event unfold, do you?" Jason asked dryly. "After all, I am only the summit leader."

The Time Lord cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed. "Sorry, speaking out of turn."

"Just a tad," the Alterran chided, holding up a hand, the thumb and forefinger barely separated. "My personal view is the Gres-Fa-Raayn shouldn't even be considered, let alone be in that system. How those barbarians even _found_ the planets is a mystery I'd like solved. All their other activities have been confined to the other side of the quadrant."

Mel turned in her seat, noticing the Alterran was now fiddling with the energy tube as if uncertain whether to continue to use it or put it away for a while. "I take it you don't like them," she observed.

Jason gave a snort. "The Gres-Fa-Raayn are militaristic, xenophobic, racial purists," he said derisively.

"They sound like the Nazis."

The Doctor laughed at this remark, nodding in agreement.

"They would've considered Nazi Germany a holiday camp," Jason replied. "If you're not Gres-Fa-Raayn, you're scum."

"That's not a very diplomatic view, Mr. Ambassador," the Doctor chided playfully.

Jason gave him a mildly disapproving look. "So sue me."

"Am I to start calling you Mr. Ambassador, then?" Mel asked jokingly. "Or is it your Excellency?"

"Oh, don't get Jason started on titles, Mel," the Doctor injected quickly. "He has a serious aversion to them."

"Not another phobia?" she moaned playfully.

"No, I think serious aversion sums it up nicely," Jason replied airily. "People hear a title and make all kinds of assumptions about you and what you're supposed be like."

"Such as assuming you'll be diplomatic because you're an Ambassador?"

"Something like that."

"This will probably sound tactless, but does this aversion stem from your having or not having a title to call your own?" Mel inquired.

The Doctor laughed out loud, looking into the rearview mirror again, his eyes sparkling.

Jason responded with an annoyed look before turning back to Mel. He gave a self-conscious smile, his face flushing slightly. "Having. As it happens, I was born with a boatload of titles. The reason I was chosen to head up this summit is because the Emperor is also my Uncle and has this misguided notion that I'm really good at diplomacy."

Mel's eyebrows went up, and she was uncertain how to respond to this unexpected admission.

"I'm sure being Crown Prince of your home planet has opened a few doors as well," the Doctor injected.

"One or two." Jason admitted. To Mel, he said, "I really _am_ a doctor, by the way. But it's Healer Jason, not Doctor Krystovan. I won't even begin to go into the eccentric reasons why it's forenames and not surnames."

The Doctor glanced in his companion's direction and could not help laughing at the look on her face. "Didn't I tell you he was full of surprises, Mel?"

"Are there any more?" she wanted to know.

"Now if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" the Alterran jested before becoming serious again, returning to his story. "Now where was I? Oh, yes. As to how I got _here_. My ship was two hours from Earth when it was attacked. The Captain thought it was Sharks—"

"Sharks?" Mel echoed.

"Later, Mel," the Doctor said sharply. "By your tone I assume you disagree."

"Well…." Jason said thoughtfully. "They usually only attack small groups, four at most, and never anything as heavily armed as my escort. There were twelve ships in my little armada by the time we reached the point where we were attacked, and those ships literally swarmed down on us with military precision. I counted more than two dozen in the initial attack alone. And I don't know what kind of weapons they were using, but somehow they opened a wormhole. Only it was like no other wormhole I've ever been through."

"That's because it wasn't a wormhole," the Doctor informed matter of factly. "You had the dubious honor of being sucked through a temporal distortion, which explains how you landed on Earth more than six hundred years in the past."

* * *

"_The Doctor's blaming the time corridor for these coincidences," K'ell'k observed with a moan. "He'll never come now."_

_l'X'el sat back in his chair and sighed. "Give him time. He's only just started to put the pieces together. He'll find the trail of breadcrumbs—given time."_

"_But we don't have any time!"_

"_Kay, they're six hundred years in the past. Time is meaningless." Realizing what his brother meant, he tapped a few keys. "Meaningless for them, that is. Let me scan ahead a bit." _


	21. The World Turned Upside Down

**CHAPTER 21**

**THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN**

Jason was silent as he considered the Doctor's latest revelation and its possible implications concerning himself. Finally he drew a deep breath. "Doctor, you _are _going to take me back, aren't you? To my own time, I mean."

"That was my intention," the Time Lord replied. "Why would you assume otherwise?"

"It's just…I know what a stickler you are with time disruptions and altered timelines," Jason replied, adding forcefully, "I'd rather not put my family through all the pain of not knowing what happened to me again. Surely you understand that?"

"Again?" Mel said in a surprised tone. "You make it a habit of disappearing?"

Jason's face clouded. "I try not to, but lately it seems unavoidable."

"Jason, if, as you say, I am a stickler with altered timelines, you'll know I will do everything in my power to return you to your proper place in time," the Doctor injected seriously.

"Yes, but…"

"_And_ you also know perfectly well that I can get you back before you even left. But I think a short interval might be wiser. The next day, perhaps."

The Alterran nodded absently and attempted to shake off his dark thoughts. "Y'know, it's the strangest thing. Just before it happened the whole bridge—I don't know. It's hard to describe. It's as if it…_warped_ for a second. I felt the bulkhead actually _move_ in my hand, like it turned to putty and then hardened again."

"Sounds as if you felt the beginnings of the temporal distortion," the Doctor observed, clearly impressed. "And actually _observed_ it happening. Perhaps all that contact with my time aura has made you time sensitive to some degree." He had no way of knowing that Jason's sensitivity actually sprang from the temporal manipulator being focused on him.

"That was just before the world turned upside down," the Alterran said darkly.

"Yes. Time distortions can have that effect."

Jason met Mel's sympathetic gaze, and finally asking the question he had been dying to ask since he came out of his coma. "Okay, now it's _your _turn. How did you two end up here? And at completely different points in the same time zone?"

"Oh that's quite simple. Mel and I went temporal surfing, didn't we, Mel?" the Doctor replied airily, going on to explain the events that had separated him from his companion and eventually led him to be sent to Florida as a language specialist. "The one thing I don't understand is the bouncing that distortion did before you finally popped out in the year 2000."

Jason snorted, remembering the roller coaster ride inside the distortion. He explained about watching the events on the monitor in the passenger cabin and was puzzled by the Doctor's reaction when he mentioned bumping the drone and the near miss of the large satellite in a low orbit. "I cannot believe the amount of space junk circling this planet," he remarked. He noticed an all too familiar look in the Time Lord's eyes as he glanced back in the mirror. "What do you know that you're not telling me, Doctor?" he asked in a guarded tone.

"Ah, well…" the Doctor began hesitantly.

"It's bad, isn't it?"

The Time Lord cleared his throat. "There are close to three thousand satellites orbiting this planet. Amongst these and the other 'space junk,' as you put it, is the Russian space station MIR, which, from your description, is what you nearly hit when you entered this time zone. It is currently on a decaying orbit and will eventually enter the Earth's atmosphere and burned up over the Pacific Ocean in late March of next year."

"And the drone?"

The Doctor threw a pointed look in Mel's direction. "Ah. Now _that_…wasn't a drone. It was an Orbiter on re-entry decent in the year 2003."

"An Orbiter?"

"I believe the common reference is Space Shuttle."

Jason's eyes grew wide. "Doctor, that ship disintegrated after—Oh my God." Clearly overwhelmed, he ran a hand through his hair, his breathing becoming fast and shallow. "Oh my God. Those things are manned!"

"Jason…"

"How many onboard?" Receiving no reply, Jason demanded again, "Dammit, Doctor, how many onboard!"

The Doctor drew a deep breath before replying. "Seven."

Mel was amazed at the transformation the Alterran was undergoing, his distress and agitation increasing by the second. "Stop the car," he blurted out suddenly. "Stop the car!"

"Jason, calm down," the Doctor admonished. "It hasn't happened yet."

"I do not want to hear about the inevitability of history, dammit! Now stop the car or I swear I'll fly out this window!" Jason threatened, thumping the door with his fist. "You know I can do it."

The Doctor brought the car to a halt along the side of the road. His friend was out of the back seat almost before the vehicle came to a complete stop. The Time Lord jumped out after him, but did not give chase. He knew Jason needed to work everything out for himself and watched as he stalked off toward the nearby trees, clearly overwhelmed. Mel got out of her side of the car and went to the Doctor's side. "Shouldn't we go after him?" she asked quietly.

"No, not yet." Looking down at his companion, the Doctor said, "I've thrown an awful lot at him at once. I'm afraid it's a case of too much information and too little time to absorb it."

Jason was pacing back and forth a few metres away. After a minute he moved into the shade, sat down, and, much to Mel's surprise, started to cry. The Doctor walked over to his distraught friend, waiting in silence until he got control of himself. "Come back to the car," he said quietly. "We'll get a room for the night at the next Exit."

"But we're so close…"

"Trust me, Jason, you're in no condition to see that ship."

His friend nodded, wiping the tears from his face. "I'm…sorry I snapped," he said, and then shook his head at the irony of his own words. "Maybe I really have snapped. I'm still not over what happened on Aegis. I think I have it under control and then something happens to…" His voice trailed off and he sighed, his eyes still focused on the ground.

"How long has it been for you?" the Time Lord asked gently.

"Ten years. Ten…very long years." The Alterran got to his feet and looked at the Doctor, a mournful expression on his face. "So many deaths…" he said, a faraway look in his eyes. "There, on Tel-Shye, and now here. All around me, so many deaths. _Why_ am I always the only one left alive?" Not really expecting an answer, he started back towards the car, oblivious to the stunned look that had come to the Doctor's face.

Suddenly question after question started screaming for attention in the Doctor's mind. Why _had _Jason survived the crash_?_ The odds against it were astronomical. The ship had practically disintegrated on impact, and UNIT's initial metallurgic analysis showed severe metal fatigue brought on by extreme age. Each time it was analyzed it had aged several decades more until it finally disintegrated away to dust. And even though Jason was not human, he wasn't immortal either, nor was he immune to the ravages of time; yet he was curiously unaffected by the devastating effects of being inside the temporal distortion. Then there was the distortion itself. Why had it bounced around so much at the end? It was almost as if someone were attempting to stop at a specific point in time.

* * *

True to his word, the Doctor pulled off at the next Exit and stopped at a motel where the emotionally exhausted Alterran could rest and compose himself. Within a few minutes, the three were checked in and carrying Mel's suitcases into their adjoining rooms on the ground floor.

The Doctor put the heaviest of the cases on the middle of one bed as his companion placed two smaller ones side by side on the floor, her plan being to sort out their contents properly and repack them. The Doctor got to the open connecting door just in time to see Jason stretch out onto one of the beds in their room. He closed his eyes, a heavy sigh escaping him.

"Looks like dinner will be 'take out' as they say in this country," the Time Lord remarked to his companion.

"Why's that?" Mel appeared beside him a moment later and smiled. "Oh. Yes, I see."

"Don't let me stop you," Jason said wearily, not bothering to open his eyes. "I'll be fine."

"No, I don't think you should be on your own just yet," the Doctor replied firmly, the edge to his voice causing Jason to sit up, a puzzled look on his face.

"Doctor, I'm fine now. I was just—" Seeing the serious expression on his friend's face, Jason's eyes narrowed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing I can put my finger on," came the vague reply.

"_Yet_," his former companion added sharply.

The Doctor nodded. "_Yet._ Someone was awfully keen on getting you out of UNIT's control. And I'm not entirely sure why. It may have only been a power play. Or it may not."

"But they think he's dead now, surely?" Mel injected.

"Yes…" the Doctor replied evasively. "And then there are the coincidences."

"Coincidences?"

"Have either of you noticed that quite a number of coincidences have occurred in a very short period of time?"

"Didn't you used to say something about the universe being run by coincidences?" Jason asked. With a small knowing smile, he added, "In fact, I'd swear you actually rely on them."

"I will admit there is a random quality to my travels. But I have a very odd feeling…." The Doctor suddenly seemed to come out of his dark mood. "Tell you what. You two stay here and I'll get us some dinner."

"_And…?_"

The Time Lord's smiled. "_And_ have little recce at the same time."

* * *

"_He's getting suspicious," l'X'el pointed out, throwing his brother a so-there look._

"_There's no reason he should suspect anything now that he thinks the distortion is to blame," K'ell'k snorted, thinking his brother was grasping at straws to make his point._

"_Have it your way. I can't monitor his thoughts, only his actions and they are very clear." Seeing K'ell'k's dubious expression, l'X'el added firmly, "To me, at least."_


	22. Suspicions & Accusations

**CHAPTER 22**

**SUSPICIONS AND ACCUSATIONS**

Shortly after the Doctor left, Jason went to the connecting door and stood watching as Mel spread out her belongings and refolded them. "Good thing we had all your luggage along. It would've looked awfully suspicious, the three of us checking in without it," he remarked, adding with a sigh, "Yet another stain on my reputation."

Mel looked up, uncertain how she should take this alien's sense of humor. He seemed to move very quickly through emotional extremes. "While I was checking us in I let slip that you and I were brother and sister traveling with mutual a friend." To her amazement, the Alterran swung to another extreme, bursting forth with the first fit of genuine laughter she had heard since meeting him. "That's great!" Jason squeaked. "Brother and sister travelers in time! I love it." He took a few steps into the room as he spoke, catching sight of himself in a mirror at the same time. "Oh, I need to change this! I refuse to be your considerably older brother."

"Even if you are."

"Not if you go by actual birth dates. I won't be born for a few hundred years yet." Turning back to the mirror, he asked, "What do you think? Thirty-something without the gray?"

Mel gave him a quizzical look. "You really can do that? Whenever you want?"

The Alterran nodded. "Just a word of warning. There's always a shimmering effect when I transmute." So saying he immediately changed from a fifty-something man with shortish graying hair to a thirty-something man with long wavy black hair pulled back in a ponytail.

A small squeak of amazement escaped Mel as the extraordinary transformation took place, her mouth dropping open and her eyes wide. Jason observed this reaction with a glowing smile of pride. "Pretty cool, huh? Better than the hatch's emergency release."

"Rather," came the approving reply. "Too bad you can't lose the suit."

"Who says?" Turning back to the mirror, the Alterran put his hands on his hips and cocked his head to one side as he appraised his appearance. "Something…suitably tourist, I think."

"But not tacky," Mel injected pointedly.

Jason nodded absently and then turned to look at her with a devilish grin on his face, his eyes sparkling. "You mean I'm supposed to be _your_ brother and not the Doctor's, right?" As he spoke, his dark blue business suit was suddenly a riot of color that would have rivaled the Doctor's coat. He received a laugh and applause from his appreciative audience. "Okay, something _tastefully_ tourist." So saying his body shimmered again. Replacing the suit and sensible shoes were khaki shorts, a blue short-sleeved shirt, sandals, a white beach hat, and sunglasses. He also seemed to have developed an impressive tan. "Tasteful enough, Sis?"

"I'll _Sis_ you," Mel responded playfully, tossing a pillow at him. "Now go wait for the Doctor while I get changed myself."

Jason drew his hands up to his chest, pointing with both index fingers in the direction of his room. "No prob. I am outta here." He bebopped from the room, moving in time to a tune that only he could hear. Mel shook her head, thinking her newest traveling companion was almost as unfathomable as the Doctor. As he was closing the door, she called, "And lose the ponytail!"

"Awww. I never get to have any fun," he whined playfully.

* * *

"_The Ambassador is not what I expected at all," K'ell'k remarked._

_l'X'el nodded. "He seems almost juvenile at times. Not the type of person you'd expect to be in charge of an important summit meeting."_

"_All the ones I've ever met have been stuffed shirts," K'ell'k observed. "It must be because he's the Doctor's friend. They all seem, well_…_unconventional."_

_l'X'el did not reply. He knew from his research that the Doctor's friends, and especially his traveling companions, were never as they appeared at first glance, which was apparently why the Time Lord chose to travel with them. It was not until Jason appeared as leader of the summit on Earth that l'X'el had even been aware of his connection with the Doctor. There was only sporadic information about him, all of which came from the time after his original departure from the TARDIS and much of which was when he reconnected with the Doctor in the years that followed. While this made Jason the perfect choice as his bait for the Doctor, l'X'el was concerned about his lack of background information. He could find nothing on the Alterran Empire in any of his planet's extensive libraries, the race seeming as hidden from view as his own people, which was puzzling and worrying. Jason's history with the Doctor indicated that he was considerably more complex than this recent glimpse showed. What l'X'el did not know was that Jason had grown far more complex than even he himself realized, making him extremely, sometimes dangerously unpredictable._

* * *

The Doctor returned after two hours carrying two large paper bags. "Nothing out of the ordinary that I could see," he announced. Placing the bags on a table near the door, he said, "I thought we might have Chinese. I seem to recall you rather liked it. There's a quaint little restaurant just down the road. The owner is a very interesting chap."

"Whom you no doubt had a lengthy conversation with in Chinese," Jason replied knowingly. "What dialect?"

"Cantonese, if you must know."

The Alterran chuckled. "You never change."

The Doctor suddenly seemed to notice his friend's newest "look" and raised his eyebrows. "No, but I see you have again. Do you have a surfboard to go with your ensemble?" Not waiting for a reply, he began removing the containers from the bags and setting them out on the table.

Jason smiled broadly, knocking on the connecting door. "Hey, Sis! Dinner's here."

The Doctor gave him a puzzled look. _"Sis?"_ he repeated, an edge of distaste in his voice.

Mel opened the door at that moment, hearing the Time Lord's disapproving tone. "Just ignore him, Doctor," she said coolly. "I made the mistake of telling him how I checked us in. Now I'm never going to hear the end of it." She looked over the contents of the table with a disapproving scowl. Not exactly part of her dietary regimen, but then, they _were_ still on vacation. Before she could say anything along these lines, the Doctor placed a bottle of water in front of her. "What have you got here?" she asked, opening a container. "Everything on the menu?"

"Oooo, is that Sweet and Sour chicken? Yum," Jason enthused, taking the container as she was putting it down.

"I should probably warn you that Jason is a carnivore with indiscriminate eating habits," the Doctor explained firmly. "Don't even try to change him."

The Alterran grinned. "I believe you used to describe me as an unapologetic carnivore. And I don't eat the way I did during the second phase. That was completely due to genetics."

Mel gave him a puzzled look. "Genetics?"

"Age induced hormonal changes triggering a high energy metabolism requiring specific proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates—"

"In other words, non-stop food intake," the Doctor completed.

Jason sucked the sauce from his fingers, adding playfully, "Anyway, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it." Taking in the number of containers on the table, he observed, "There's enough here for everybody in UNIT."

"Well, if you believe popular myth," the Time Lord said as he sat down, "you'll be hungry again in an hour. So there'll be plenty of leftovers." He placed a couple of containers in front of Mel. "The Buddhist special for you, Miss Bush."

"Buddhist special?" Jason repeated.

"He means vegetarian," Mel translated as she pulled a pair of chopsticks from one of the bags and handed them to him. She had done this as a joke and was stunned when he expertly manipulated them to remove some noodles from a container. She could not help but remark on this, since they were native to _her_ planet and not his. Jason grinned but decided not to inform her that using chopsticks was child's play in comparison to controlling the multiple appendages of his true form.

Halfway through the meal the Doctor suddenly asked, "Jason, was there anything about your mission that was…shall we say, out of the ordinary?"

Only half-listening, his friend did not even look up. "Out of the ordinary?"

"Yes. Something only _you _were to know about."

"Like what?"

"A hidden agenda, for instance."

Jason gulped, coughing on his food a moment. The direction of the conversation had taken him completely off guard, which was the intention. "Is this a joke?" The Time Lord gave him an innocent look that immediately put him on his guard. _"Why?" _he asked pointedly_._

"Oh, no reason," came the casual reply. "I just wondered if perhaps you were working undercover for Krystovan and Company again."

"Krystovan and what?"

The Doctor waved a hand in the air. "Forget I said that. Talking out of turn again."

Jason gave him a baffled look. "Doctor, I was on a straightforward diplomatic mission, not some cloak and dagger…" His voice trailed off as realization dawned. He stuck his chopsticks into the carton he was holding and put it down, leaning back in his chair, his arms folded. "What do you know that you're not telling me?"

"My dear Jason, I merely asked—"

"Don't give me that innocent routine, Doctor, I've known you too long," Jason interrupted sharply. "You throw a loaded question at me like a grenade and now you're trying to gauge my reactions after it's blown up in my face."

The Time Lord's eyebrows went up, obviously surprised at how his friend had surmised what he was up to. Mel had to stifle a laugh, a hand going to her mouth. She received a disapproving sideways glance from both men.

Jason's expression was set. "I've seen you do this a thousand times. Why don't you just _ask_? Do you honestly think I'm hiding something?"

The Doctor leaned forward in his chair his eyes fixed on his former companion. "You're right, of course. Deceptions are a _barrier__._ Time to loweryour _guard _and _speak_ openly."

A puzzled look came to Mel's face and she wondered why the Doctor was stressing his words in such an odd manner.

"What's the matter? Can't _read_ my _thoughts_ anymore?" Jason replied in the same strangely precise manner. He saw his friend's eyes flicker before he nodded almost imperceptivity, both an indication that he had interpreted the message correctly.

The Doctor pulled a small box from his trouser pocket, keeping it below the table so that only Jason could see it. In the center, a red light blinked in a regular pattern. Jason recognized it immediately and gave the Time Lord a steady look. "Just ask me, Doctor. I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

The Doctor closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, looking as though he were composing his thoughts. To Mel's added bewilderment, she saw Jason silently mouth a count of three and then close his eyes. When the two opened their eyes again, they exchanged a conspiratorial grin.

The Doctor looked down at the box in his hand. The red light had stopped blinking, a steady green light having taken its place. "Barrier up," he announced in a satisfied tone.

Jason nodded, throwing a quick glance in Mel's direction.

"We were being monitored," the Doctor informed. "Telepathic eavesdropper." His companion's expression went from astonished to angry. "Not to worry. Jason and I are blocking it for a bit." He held up the box, explaining that as long as the green light was on they would be hidden from view.


	23. Lost In Time

**CHAPTER 23**

**LOST IN TIME**

_The instant the Doctor's mental barrier went up the globe fogged over startling l'X'el who had been monitoring the events through Jason. He checked everything over but could find neither him nor Mel, unaware of the fact that the Alterran was also able to throw up a mental barrier. "They must be hidden by the Doctor's mental barrier," he concluded angrily._

"_How is that possible?" K'ell'k wanted to know._

"_Proximity. I should be able to pick them up once they move away from his area of influence. Until then, we'll just have to wait until the forward scan finds them again." He entered a few commands, saying, "I think I'll boost the power, too. It might keep this from happening again." _

_K'ell'k leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I'm tired of waiting," he moaned, adding forcefully, "And I'm hungry, too!"_

_l'X'el sighed heavily, throwing his brother an annoyed scowl. He pointed at a pile near the door. "There's some food over there. Go get something if you're that desperate. Just don't leave the room. You'll never be able to get back though the time shift if you do."_

* * *

"_Now_ we can talk," Jason sighed as he sat back in his chair. "Okay, Doctor, what was all that nonsense about? Was it just to get my attention or did you really find something?"

The Doctor met his accusing gaze with a glowing smile and pulled the piece of technology he had removed from the wrecked spaceship from his pocket. "Do you have any idea what this is?" he asked, placing the item on the table. "It was attached to the plating under the deck of what was left of your ship."

His friend scowled at the misshapen object and then shook his head. "I've no idea by looking at it. And if I scan it, I may lose my barrier. I'm still not back to one hundred percent yet."

"We'll have to chance it," the Time Lord replied. "You're better equipped to analyze it at speed."

Jason nodded, reaching out and taking hold of the object. His eyes seemed to glaze a moment and then he looked up in surprise. "It's a temporal beacon!" he gasped. "Like the ones you use for the TARDIS, only a hundred times more powerful."

The Doctor nodded as his suspicions were confirmed. "Powerful enough to attract a temporal distortion, perhaps?"

"Yes," Jason said in a low, horrified whisper, seeing the object in the palm of his hand in a new way.

"Well, that answers one question. Unfortunately, it also triggers a dozen others." The Doctor took the beacon from Jason's hand and returned it to his pocket. "Time to lower the barrier, I think. Mustn't stay out of sight too long."

"Am I still on the defensive?" his former companion inquired, receiving a nod in reply.

The Doctor turned to his current companion. "Just play along, Mel. I'll explain it all when we don't have an audience."

"You lead, I'll follow," she replied, throwing Jason a quick knowing look. "Do I have an actual role in all this?"

"Protector, I think. Same as in the hospital," Jason replied. Turning to the Doctor, his eyes narrowed. "I think the Doctor is about to openly accuse me of carrying out a hidden agenda for my Emperor."

* * *

_K'ell'k had been happily consuming a snack when he saw the globe suddenly come to life again. He suppressed a chuckle when he saw his brother jump, having been so startled that he almost fell from his chair._

_l'X'el sat up quickly and manipulated the controls, zeroing in on Jason in order to keep him from being hidden by the Doctor's mental force a second time. "Got you now, Mr. Ambassador," he whispered triumphantly. "You won't get away this time."_

* * *

Jason was on his feet and storming across the room. "I can't believe you'd even think something like that, Doctor," he thundered, throwing his arms in the air. "How could you accuse me of—? Do you really believe I would sabotage my own summit?"

"I'm not accusing you of anything," the Time Lord retorted sharply as he too got to his feet. "I just asked if the Emperor had any…well, long term plans for those outer planets."

Jason spun around, his eyes blazing. "And if he did, then of course he'd want to make sure everything went his way, right? Make sure the evidence was slanted just so? _By me_."

"Jason, you can't ignore the possibility that something odd is going on out there," the Doctor pointed out. "You said so yourself."

The Alterran stood staring a moment, then seemed to waver on his feet. He put a hand to his head as though he were suddenly very dizzy. He knew the others would think it was part of the act, but he had actually felt some external force pushing against him and cautiously opened his sensor array to see what it was.

Mel was suddenly beside him, the picture of concern. "Here, sit down," she soothed, guiding him to the bed. She threw an angry look in the Time Lord's direction. "Doctor, don't you think this could've waited? We're supposed to be letting Jason rest."

The Doctor's stone-like expression actually hardened. "Are we?" he asked icily.

Jason looked up sharply, his mind racing. _Where was the Doctor trying to go with this remark? _He noticed he had the melted beacon in his hands and was idly wrapping the chain of his pocket watch around it, over and over. This _had_ to be a clue. But leading where? Why would their stopping to let him rest be…? _Got it!_

"What?" Mel was now completely lost. "Of course we are. It was _your_ idea to stop, remember?"

"Are you accusing me of a _deception_ now?" the Alterran asked icily. "Playing for _time_ for some reason?"

A ghost of a smile passed over the Doctor's face. "Oh no. Why would _I_ be worried that your ship is aging away to dust even as we speak?" he snapped sarcastically.

Jason got to his feet to issue a biting retort. He managed a step forward before the world suddenly spun around him. The external force had grown considerably stronger in the short time he was seated, and with his sensors open to it, the energy was suddenly swamping him. He staggered forward, grabbing Mel with one hand. "Time," he said cryptically, looking blearily at the Doctor. "Tttt…time…" he stammered, slowly sinking to the floor.

"Jason!" Mel gasped, his weight dragging her down with him. Before she knew what was happening, the Alterran was face down on the floor, unconscious.

* * *

_Taken completely off guard by this unexpected turn of events, l'X'el stared at the globe as Jason collapsed. He had thought the Ambassador to be completely recovered from his injuries, aided by the energy tube, "the little miracle" as they were calling it. Now it appeared this was not the case, and l'X'el studied the computer before him, quickly checking the readings._

_As l'X'el frantically worked at the controls, a startled Jason materialized in the darkened room behind him. He patted himself to make certain he was still in one piece before taking in the room. He noticed the youth struggling at the podium and took a step forward, stopping when K'ell'k appeared from the shadows. To his added surprise, the boy walked straight past him, oblivious to his presence._

_K'ell'k had been attracted by his brother's sudden flurry of activity, and casually looked at the globe as he came up beside him, almost dropping the snack he was holding when he saw the events that were occurring on Earth. "What happened?" he gasped._

_l'X'el did not even look up. "They were arguing and the Ambassador suddenly collapsed," he informed, causing Jason to start. Moving closer, he saw himself lying on the floor in the motel room, the Doctor and Mel beside him. _

"_Can either of you hear me?" Jason asked loudly. When the brothers did not react, he reached out a hand, passing it straight through K'ell'k and confirming his suspicions. Turning his gaze back to the globe, another idea sprang into his mind and he wondered if he could pull it off without killing himself in the process._

* * *

The Doctor was at his friend's side the instant he hit the floor. He carefully rolled him onto his back and checked his vital signs, having to lean very close just to make certain he was breathing.

"Doctor…?" Mel said worriedly as he sat up again.

The Doctor looked up, his face creased in concern. "This is the real thing, Mel," he informed soberly. "Question is, what triggered it?"

"And what do we do about it?" Mel said practically.

As if on cue, Jason drew a deep breath, stirring slightly as he struggling back to consciousness. His eyes fluttered open, focusing on the Doctor's worried face. "Time..."

"Easy, Jason," the Doctor said gently. "You've had a bad turn."

Jason was breathing heavily, almost gasping for breath. "Lost…in time."

The Doctor frowned, having no idea what his friend was trying to tell him.

The Alterran held out a hand in the Time Lord's direction, saying in as firm a voice as he could manage, "I need…a guide."

The Doctor exchanged a baffled look with his companion before taking hold of the outstretched hand. The instant he had a firm grip, Jason passed out again, and the Doctor felt an almost overwhelming rush of temporal energy. He gave a startled cry, reaching out with his free hand to keep himself upright. He looked up in time to see the frightened and confused Mel reaching out to him and held up his hand to stop her from touching him. "Don't!" he commanded sharply. "Must…concentrate." He closed his eyes, adding softly, "I'll…be…back…"

Mel sat back, her face a study in confusion and concern. She had seen the Doctor go into a trance a few times but was still unfamiliar with all it entailed. She threw an apprehensive look at the motionless Jason and sighed heavily, knowing all she could do now was wait.


	24. Temporal Manipulation

**CHAPTER 24**

**TEMPORAL MANIPULATION**

_Within seconds of going into his trance, the Doctor materialized alongside his Alterran friend. He looked around the room in a combination of curiosity and bewilderment, seeing what he thought were two statues clothed in brightly colored tunics. With a jolt he realized they were not statues but two young men who were apparently frozen in time. _

"_They can't hear or see us," Jason said as the Time Lord turned a questioning look in his direction. "In fact, just before you arrived they froze like that. I'm not entirely sure why."_

"_Where are we?" the Doctor wanted to know._

"_I was hoping you might know the answer to that."_

_The Doctor looked around more carefully, scowling up at the vaulted ceiling and ornate architecture. "I can't say I'm familiar with the design. It's very old, by the looks of it." Turning back to his friend, he asked firmly, "You want to tell me what happened back there? And how we got here?"_

"_I was hit by a time aura when I walked across the room. I knew it couldn't be yours, and thought it might be the time differential catching up with me. I had my sensors open to see if I could analyze it, possibly trace it. But when I stood up again, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I must've passed out."_

"_And ended up here," the Doctor concluded with a nod. In a reproving tone he added, "That was a very dangerous thing to do. And so is bringing me back with you. If it is a time differential, you could be depleting your energy reserves faster than you realize."_

_Jason chose not to reply to this sharp reproof, motioning that his friend follow him to the globe. "I wanted you to see this, too," he said, indicating the displayed image. "It's how our friends here are keeping tabs on us. They called me the Ambassador, but I have no idea why they would be after me."_

"_They're obviously not Gres-Fa-Raayn, are they?" the Doctor remarked dryly as he crossed the room, indicating K'ell'k's wild mop of long black dreadlocks. "Not exactly military length, is it?" He took one look at the globe and turned sharply back to his friend, his expression an odd combination of surprise, delight and outrage. "It's a temporal manipulator!" he gasped. "That explains a great deal."_

_Jason raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't mind sharing with the rest of the class, would you, Doctor?" he said sarcastically._

_The Doctor gave him a sideways glance, a knowing look coming to his face. He explained that the device allowed its operator to look into any space/time event in the universe. But unlike a benign temporal viewer, which Jason was familiar with, the manipulator actually allowed its operator to interact with and alter the course of the events being viewed. He went on to point out that since Jason was feeling the affects of a time aura, it was very likely that the youths were monitoring him from a point in the far future, where he was known as the Ambassador._

_Jason wasn't quite sure how to react to this piece of news. "So…they can see and hear everything we're doing using the time aura I felt. Why are you getting a telepathic trace, then?"_

"_No doubt that's how they're tracking you. You _are_ telepathic, after all."_

"_Great."_

"_Do you still have your barrier up?" the Doctor asked casually._

"_Yes. I put it up to make sure you didn't_…_" The Alterran's voice trailed off as he realized what his friend meant, following his gaze to the still frozen pair._

"_You're getting rather good at this, you know," the Time Lord remarked admiringly._

"_I had a good teacher."_

"_Correction, you had an excellent teacher," the Doctor stated proudly, drawing himself to his full height and puffing out his chest. "Let's see what happens when you lower your barrier."_

"_Okay."_

_The frozen youths instantly came to life. "l'X'el, quick!" K'ell'k exclaimed. "Turn down the intensity on the Ambassador! Time Lords are time sensitive. You'll swamp the Doctor with that much temporal energy."_

"_What do you think I'm trying to do?" l'X'el snapped, his fingers a blur on the controls. "This isn't as easy as it looks, you know."_

"_You'll never get the Doctor here if you kill him," K'ell'k snapped back. "You should've just waited until he lowered his mental barrier." l'X'el gave him a murderous look but said nothing as he returned his attention to the console._

_The Doctor raised his eyebrows and exchanged a startled look with Jason. _

"_And here I thought it was me they were after," Jason muttered, giving his friend a quizzical look. "What are they after you for?"_

"_Curiouser and curiouser," the equally amazed Doctor replied. "I think we've seen enough. Time we got back."_

"_How do we play this when I, um, wake up? Apologies all around? Or watch and wait?" Jason wanted to know._

"_Watch and wait, I think. Leaves more doors open," the Doctor replied. Glancing over at the still struggling l'X'el, he added, "It's nice to know the metal barriers work so effectively. It could be useful when the time comes." He turned back to his friend. "On the count of three_…_"_

* * *

To Mel's relief the Doctor drew a deep breath and opened his eyes, giving her a quick reassuring smile before turning his attention to the motionless Alterran beside him "Mel, you wouldn't happen to know what Jason did with that little miracle of his, would you?"

Mel shook her head. "No."

"_Think!"_ the Doctor commanded. Holding up his free hand, he added in a gentler manner, "Please, this is vitally important. I need you to use that incredible memory of yours to help me save Jason's life. When did you see it last?"

Had he not spoken in such an earnest tone, Mel would have remarked on his actually complimenting rather than criticizing her photographic memory. She drew a deep breath, closing her eyes as she thought back, concentrating on the energy tube. Jason had flashed it while they were waiting for the car when they left the Base, juggling it and a few other items to keep himself amused. It reappeared when they were waiting for their car at the rental agency. The Doctor had performed some slight of hand while he explained about Jason's scanning ability. It reappeared again when—

Mel's eyes snapped open. "It's in the car," she said suddenly. "He dropped it when you told him about the shuttle."

"Well done." The Doctor smiled proudly, producing the keys and holding them out to her. Without another word she took them and dashed from the room. The moment she was gone, the Doctor looked down, his face creasing with worry. Jason was extremely pale despite his recently acquired tan, and his vital signs were no less distressing. For a moment the Doctor could not even locate his pulse, yet the firm grip on his hand was constant. Had Jason somehow lost his way back? And if so, how could they help him?

Mel returned within a few minutes and handed the tube to the Doctor, who placed it in-between his own hand and Jason's, hoping this would be enough to activate it. After a few very long minutes, Jason's eyes opened slightly.

"You're going to be alright, Jason," the Doctor said gently. "Just let your little miracle work its magic." Receiving no response, he looked closer at the Alterran's unfocused eyes. "Jason? Can you hear me?" Again, there was no response. Looking up at his companion, the Doctor handed her the energy tube. "Pull the covering off the bed," he instructed, waving a hand vaguely in its direction. While she was doing this, he carefully lifted his motionless friend from the floor.

Mel practically flung the bedspread out of the way and stood clinging to the enormous piece of fabric as the Doctor gently placed Jason on the bed. She held out the energy tube the instant he looked up at her. The expression on his face sent a chill down her spine as she realized he was very much afraid for his friend's life.

For Jason, the world was very far away, at the end of a long tunnel of shadows. After sending the Doctor back, he had become completely disoriented. Just as his friend surmised, he had dangerously weakened himself when he drew the Time Lord into the projection, draining his energy reserves completely. He was currently utilizing a combination of the temporal energy surrounding him and the Time Lord's time aura to keep himself alive until he knew which direction to follow. Unfortunately, the use of temporal energy rather than a conventional energy source was having an adverse effect on Jason's already distorted perception. He felt as though he were in the inky depths of the ocean, moving slowly toward the surface shimmering with light and color overhead. He was aware of the presence of his friends but could not make out what they were saying, the sound of their voices muffled and strangely distant. There was a flash of bright colors in the sky that he knew abstractly was the Doctor. The Doctor. Something to catch hold of. He was already connected to the Time Lord's time aura. Perhaps he could use it to pull himself to the surface. As soon as this thought was solidified, the connection was broken and the world above the surface was moving, this being when he was lifted from the floor. It was not until the Doctor replaced the energy tube in his hand and squeezed it that Jason finally felt reality returning as the sudden flush of familiar convertible energy surged through him.

The Doctor heaved a sigh of relief when the Alterran's body lit up momentarily. Without looking up, he asked Mel to cover Jason with the bedspread that was still in her hands.

Jason drew a sharp breath and stirred as he fought his way back to consciousness. He closed his glazed eyes, taking another gulp of air. When he opened his eyes again, they were clear and focused. He started to stir and the Doctor put a hand on his shoulder.

"Easy, easy," the Doctor said gently. "You've had a bad turn. Take it slowly."

The Alterran nodded, closing his eyes and breathing a sigh of relief. The journey had been far more difficult than he realized. In fact, he was certain he had come very close to killing himself with the effort. He only hoped it had been worth it.

"It seems I was wrong," the Doctor was saying as he got to his feet. "You _do_ need to rest."

Jason nodded weakly. "Give me a few hours," he said softly, "and I'll be ready for round two." He gave a small smile and closed his eyes, falling asleep almost immediately.

The Doctor stood looking down at the peacefully sleeping form. After several minutes, he drew a sharp breath and straightened going slowly to the table they had used for dinner. He sat down and put his head in his hands. Mel thought he was just relieved the worse seemed to be over. She was about to learn otherwise.

In an agony of remorse the Doctor said in a small voice, "I could've killed him."


	25. Watch & Wait

**CHAPTER 25**

**WATCH AND WAIT**

The sudden, guilt-ridden announcement was so unexpected that Mel actually jumped. "What?"

The Doctor did not seem to hear her. "Why did I have to push him so hard? I should know better after all this time."

"But I thought that little miracle was supposed to… I don't know, get him back to normal."

"Jason needs to replenish his energy reserves _naturally_. The affects of the energy tube are only temporary." Looking up, the Doctor said, "It can help keep him going until he's able to stabilize his system, but he shouldn't become agitated. Uses up too much energy, you see."

Mel went over to the distraught Time Lord, having never seen him like this before. "He'll be alright now, won't he?" she asked concernedly.

"I hope so. I should've realized he was getting weaker after that scene at the side of the road. But no, I had to push for answers." Rising to his feet, he seemed at a loss as to what to do next. Finally he turned toward the door. "I have to clear my mind. Think things through. Will you be alright until I get back?"

"Yes, of course."

"I'll need the car keys." As Mel held them out, she was startled when the Doctor suddenly grabbed her by the wrist. "Mel, I'm shielding you from our eavesdroppers," he said quickly, "but I don't want you out of sight too long. Jason is perfectly fine. He needs to recharge himself, but he'll be fully restored when he wakes up. What I just told you about the energy tube is a lie for the benefit of our observers."

Mel took this whirlwind of information in with a gulp. "You know who they are, then?"

"No, not yet. Well, not specifically. But I know how they're monitoring us now. That's why Jason's so weak. He followed the energy transmission to its source and took me along with him, the idiot. To be honest, I haven't the vaguest idea how he managed it," the Doctor admitted. "We're still playing the accusations game, but we're in the Wait-and-Watch phase as opposed to the Open-Accusations-And-Finger-Pointing phase."

Mel nodded. "Am I still to play protector?"

The Doctor gave her an admiring look. "If you think you can keep up. You may've noticed Jason has a flare for this sort of thing. I'm just sorry we keep leaving you behind. If there were time, I could explain it all to you."

"That's alright, Doctor, I understand. You two've been doing this a lot longer than I have. I just wish I knew how to tell fact from fiction."

The Doctor made a fist and then crossed his index finger over his thumb. "You see that? It's a T." Looking his companion in the eye, he added, "It stands for truth. If you see me do that, then you'll know the difference." So saying, he released his grip on her arm and stepped back.

Mel picked up a bottle of water from the table and gave him a knowing look before crossing the room. "Oh, do pay attention, Doctor. I said you'd better take the room key, too," she said firmly as she went to Jason's bedside. "I'm not leaving the door open all night. If I know you, you won't be back until morning, will you?"

The Time Lord held up his room key. "Don't you stay up all night waiting for me then. _Or_ for Jason to wake up, for that matter. He'll sleep at least eight hours—perhaps more—until his energy reserves are restored." So saying he turned and left, making a point of locking the door behind him.

* * *

"_Sleep_…_" K'ell'k moaned, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his eyes. "That's a great idea."_

"_I know, we need to rest, too," l'X'el said having to stifle a yawn. "I'll pause the system here and then jump forward to the next day."_

_K'ell'k carefully got down from his chair and went to the pile where he had gotten his snack, having noticed two sleeping mats that were under a blanket. "I'll get this set up."_

_l'X'el nodded, saying nothing. He rechecked the computer before getting down himself, the globe fogging over at the same time. Time for a few hours of sleep._

* * *

The Doctor drove straight to the Kennedy Space Center, which was much closer than he wanted his companions to realize. He was thankful he did not have to go through the seemingly endless security checks again, and went directly to the hangar where Jason's ship was being housed. He ignored the brightly illuminated spacecraft and made straight for the TARDIS. The time machine stood only a few metres inside the entrance and had gone unnoticed by those who came and went, their being more interested in the wreckage than an innocuous blue crate.

The Doctor patted the side of the TARDIS, greeting her like an old friend. "If they only knew the secrets you hold, eh, my dear old thing?" he said mildly, pulling the key from his pocket and unlocking the door.

Once inside the control room, the Doctor closed the doors and sagged against the console, exhausted by the effort of keeping a reinforced mental barrier up for so long. He had wanted to keep his destination a secret from his observers and was grateful the trip had been a short one. Giving the console a loving pat, he smiled. "You'll keep me protected, won't you, old girl?"

During his short drive he had reflected on all the events of the past week, having come up with an impressive list of coincidences and chance meetings. Now that he had seen the manipulator, they seemed less like coincidence and more like outside interference. Straightening, he pulled out the melted beacon, scowling down at it. "Now, let's see if we can find out where you come from." He crossed to the inner door, vanishing into the depths of the TARDIS interior.

* * *

Mel had fallen asleep without realizing. When Jason awoke, he chose not to disturb her, going into the next room. The Doctor returned just after dawn and was delighted to find his friend looking considerably better than when he had left him.

The Doctor peeked in on his companion and then closed the connecting door. He turned back to Jason and drew a deep breath. They had a great deal to discuss and precious little time to do it in.

Jason went back into the next room nearly an hour later, throwing a quick glance in Mel's direction before studying the remains of the previous evening's dinner.

When Mel awoke she was surprised to find it was morning, sunlight streaming in the room from behind her. She was surprised again when she noticed the opposite bed was empty and rolled over to see Jason sitting in the open doorway eating noodles from a carton, his feet propped up on a chair in front of him.

"Good morning," he said without turning. "It's a going to be another beautiful day. Sunny, warm, a tang of salt in the air." In a wistful tone he added, "Reminds me of home."

Mel got up and stretched, crossing to the doorway. "I wish I could do that."

Puzzled, the Alterran leaned his head back to look at her. "Do what?"

"To go to bed on death's door and wake up right as rain the next morning."

"I don't recommend it. Believe me, it's far more dangerous than it looks." Holding up the little miracle, Jason informed, "This is actually the prototype of a design that hasn't gone into production yet. I got hold of it ten years ago when I—" He broke off as a chill ran down his spine and gave way to an involuntary shudder. Seeing a distressed look cloud his face, Mel put a hand on his shoulder. "I went through a _really bad_ experience a while back," he explained quietly. "The Doctor got me out, helped me through it, but…I still haven't gotten over it…entirely."

"Let's not talk about it then," Mel said gently, pulling up a chair. In a playfully disapproving tone, she asked, "Now, what _are _you eating?"

The Alterran smiled, offering the container. "Cold sesame noodles. They're really good." Giving her a knowing look, he whispered, "And _really_ high in fat. Spicy peanut butter sauce." In a normal voice, he asked brightly, "Want some?"

Mel looked into the container and wrinkled her nose. She got to her feet and went to retrieve her bottle of water. "No thank you. I can't eat that stuff. And you shouldn't either," she said disapprovingly. Jason threw back his head and laughed. "There's nothing funny about good nutrition, Jason," Mel admonished sharply.

"Lesson one, rule one of diplomacy. Do not apply your own race's beliefs and values onto another race." Stifling another laugh, he said, "You may _choose_ to be a vegetarian, Mel, but your body was designed to be omnivorous. That's where your energy comes from. My body, on the other hand, was designed to extract energy from any convertible source I come in contact with dependent on the form I happen to be in at the time. And currently, I'm in human form." With a so-there look on his face, he pulled a mouthful of noodles from the carton. "Incidentally, do you have any idea how much energy it takes to transmute?" he added before putting the noodles in his mouth.

By this time Mel was looking at him with her mouth open and simply shook her head. She had been prepared for the usual responses, but had forgotten to take into consideration the fact that the man before her was an alien. "Point taken," she managed finally.

"By the way, don't mention the fact that you spent the night in my room to anyone," Jason said as he finished the last of the noodles. "I'd rather my wife didn't get the wrong idea."

"Your... You never said you were married!"

"You never asked."

"And _you_ probably never volunteered the information before now either," came the Doctor's stern voice from the connecting door. "Another piece of information for you Mel. Jason is an incurable romantic and notorious flirt."

"Who lost his wedding ring in the crash," the Alterran added astringently.

Mel looked up, the smile fading from her face when she saw the stern look on the Time Lord's usually jovial face. "When did you get back?"

"An hour or so ago."

"He didn't want to wake you," Jason injected. "Considering what happened the last time, I thought that was probably a good idea."

Mel didn't know if she wanted to be angry or grateful.

"Did you tell her?" the Doctor asked suddenly.

Jason shook his head, rising to his feet at the same time. "Thought you should do that. Wouldn't want to step on your toes." So saying, he tossed the empty carton into the trash before striding out the open door and into the sunshine.


	26. There's Almost Nothing Left

**CHAPTER 26**

"**THERE'S ALMOST NOTHING LEFT."**

"I went to the hangar at NASA while you were both sleeping," the Doctor informed. He threw a quick glance in the direction Jason had taken. "He's angry with me about that. I wanted to see how work was progressing on the wreckage before he saw it. I also managed to access the ship's computer using a few knick-knacks from the TARDIS. It yielded some very interesting information."

Mel's eyebrows went up. She knew that at least part of what the Doctor was telling her was true, having noticed that after he mentioned going to NASA he purposely rubbed his hands together to avoid making the truth sign any longer. "Are we going straight there this morning?" she asked, her eyes moving quickly from his hands to his face.

The Time Lord's eyes flickered approvingly. "As soon as you're ready."

"Just give me half an hour." With that Mel went into her room to finish repacking her bags.

The Doctor gave an approving grunt. He pulled the box from his pocket, seeing its red light blinking in a regular pattern. Looking up, he saw Jason standing in the shade of a large tree several metres away. He was leaning back against the trunk staring blankly into space. The Doctor crossed to him, the light on the box turning green light when he was within arm's length.

"All clear," the Time Lord announced. Noticing his friend's troubled expression, he asked concernedly, "Jason, you _are_ strong enough to proceed, aren't you? We can delay if you still need time to recharge."

Jason returned to reality with a shudder, turning to his friend with a haunted look in his eyes. "No, it's not that. I was telling Mel about the energy tube and how I got it. And all of a sudden …I…I couldn't talk." Looking down, he asked fearfully, "Will it ever go away? This…this…"

"Guilt?" the Doctor said mildly, causing the Alterran to look up sharply. "You can blame yourself or second guess your actions for the next hundred years, it won't change what happened. But it _will_ tear you apart."

"Doctor, I can't do it anymore."

"What?"

"I can't carry on the illusion—_any illusion_—anymore." Jason shook his head, looking off into the distance. "I don't...I just don't I have it in me anymore."

The Doctor tried unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh. "My dear Jason, don't confuse fatigue with fallibility. This little deception is as natural as _breathing_ to you. You've even gotten ahead of _me _once or twice, and that's no small accomplishment."

"No, that's an impossibility." The Alterran ran a hand through his hair, turning back to face him. "Doctor, even if I do go on, I'm no good to you like this. I'm an emotional mess."

"You have also been carrying on a nearly non-stop energy conversion for close to three days," the Doctor pointed out. "Heightened emotions are a normal side-effect of—"

"I know that!" Jason snapped. "This goes further back than the last few days. That's why my Uncle gave me this boring summit in the first place. After what happened on Aegis, I can't…" He shook his head, admitting, "Every year it seems to get worse instead of better."

"Rubbish! You have to stop looking back, stop second guessing yourself and look ahead." The Doctor paused, his voice going from chastising to soothing. "You are a survivor, Jason. You _will_ get through this. But you have to stop blaming yourself for the past."

Jason gave a derisive snort. "Oh? And how do you know? Have you already been to my future, Doctor?" he spat sarcastically. Seeing a guilty look come to the Time Lord's face, he stiffened involuntarily. "You _have,_ haven't you?" he gasped in disbelief. "You've already been there?"

"Let's just say I wouldn't want to talk out of turn again," came the evasively reply.

"Oh great. That's all I need."

The Doctor cleared his throat and immediately changed the subject. "Actually, I came to tell you what Mel knows."

"Not a lot, I imagine. I _know_ I've been getting ahead of _her_."

"Well, she doesn't have the benefit of your decades of experience _or_ your natural gift for misdirection."

"Deception, you mean."

"Just so. She's learning though. Such as the sign for truth." The Doctor held up a hand in way of demonstration. "It will help her from getting lost. I was able to tell her the truth about the energy tube after you went to sleep. That was after I put on a little performance for our observers and told her it only works temporarily. That you shouldn't be agitated unduly or you run the risk of depleting your energy reserves too quickly."

"So you can't accuse me openly for awhile and I have the opportunity to incriminate myself. Makes things rather neat," Jason said approvingly.

"As I said, keeps more doors open. Now, please get your head on straight. Like it or not, our observers have targeted the both of us, and I need you to help me get these pieces sorted out. We'll be leaving as soon as Mel's ready." The Doctor started back toward the room and stopped, turning back. "You did leave room for breakfast, I hope."

* * *

After a quick breakfast, the time travelers made the relatively short journey to the hangar where the wreckage of the once proud _SILVER TRIUMPH_ lay in pieces. The Doctor led the way in, crossing to the area where the dismantled sections of the spacecraft had been laid out on a grid similar to the one that held the pieces recovered from the crash site. "They have been busy," he remarked. An apprehensive Jason followed, this being the first time he had seen the exterior of the ship since he boarded it more than a week—nearly six hundred years in the future—before_._

"Where is everyone?" Mel wanted to know, looking around the deserted room.

"Ah," the Doctor said in a self-satisfied tone. "Now that UNIT has pulled everyone from the Base they're coordinating operations here. There's a meeting of the minds, as it were, this morning. Supposed to go on for several hours."

"How very convenient," his companion observed blandly.

"Your suggestion?" Jason asked. He received a glowing smile from the Doctor who replied, "Gives us a bit of time to poke about."

Jason took in the items on the floor in a mixture of awe and sorrow. Turning, he looked at what was left of the ship itself, his eyes growing wide as he realized just how lucky he had been to survive. "My Lord," he whispered. "There's almost nothing left."

The Doctor and Mel exchanged a quick concerned glance before turning to the Alterran who seemed mesmerized by the tangled wreckage.

"Just how big was that thing to begin with?" Mel asked quietly.

Jason came out of his daze and looked around the hangar a moment to gauge its size. "The _SILVER TRIUMPH_ would've easily filled this hangar. The Captain was so proud of her." He shook his head sadly. "She was a real beauty."

"This ship was the _SILVER TRIUMPH_?" the Doctor asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

His friend nodded absently as he started towards the wreck. He stopped when the Doctor touched his arm.

"You sure you're ready for this?" he asked in genuine concern.

Jason squeezed his hand to indicate he understood the underlying meaning before flashing an angry look and thrusting the Doctor's hand away. "Afraid I might try to destroy some evidence?" he snapped. Not waiting for a reply, he continued across the hangar, stopping in front of what was left of the passenger cabin, and placing a hand on the scorched hull. He circled around and scrutinized it closely, scanning it at the same time. Once he completed his examination of the exterior, he made his way inside.

The Doctor turned to his companion as Jason vanished behind the sheet covering the hatch. "Perhaps you might keep an eye on him for me," he suggested quietly. "I'm not sure he's emotionally ready for this. I'd rather he weren't alone in there."

Seeing the sign for truth, Mel nodded, going quickly to the entry hatch. She found the Alterran standing motionless inside the stripped passenger cabin. He threw a quick glance back when she appeared in the doorway, relaxing visibly when he saw who it was. "I should _not_ have survived. No wonder the Doctor was…" He held out a hand to take in the room. "Why did _this_ section of the ship survive intact and the rest disintegrate on impact? Triple plating or not, it should've popped like a melon. The exterior hull is aging beyond belief." Jason wondered if the youths he had seen at the other end of the time aura had protected him somehow. Why should they if it was the Doctor they were after? Had they saved him in order to use him as bait?

Now it was Mel's turn to shudder. "Are you saying you'd rather you'd been killed?" she asked practically.

"No. I just… I would've preferred I wasn't the only one who survived—again." Seeing Mel's anguished expression, Jason shook himself out of his dark thoughts. "Sorry. I have a tendency to get morose without warning. Like I said, bad experience." He turned his attention to the interior bulkhead. Putting his hands on it, he scanned it, hoping it might yield some clue as to how he had been protected during the crash. What he found was so startling he gave an involuntary cry of alarm.

"You two alright in there?" the Doctor's concerned voice called from the hangar, pulling Jason back to reality at the same time.

"Yes, we're fine," Mel called back over her shoulder.

"Well, when you're done in there, come take a look at this."

Intrigued, Jason turned. "Now what's he found?" he muttered, heading for the exit.

* * *

_K'ell'k awoke to find his brother already back at the computer, the globe glowing gently in the darkened room. "Well?" he asked as he went to his own place in the opposite corner._

"_I think we're making progress. The Doctor is examining the wreckage. If he finds the transmitter—"_

"_What transmitter?" K'ell'k asked sharply._

"_The one I used so the Ambassador's ship would be pulled into the temporal disturbance. How else do you think I could make certain the correct ship went through?"_

"_I don't know. You never told me about it. In fact, you haven't told me much about anything, Lix."_

_His brother gave him a steady look. "You're the one who was worried about being caught. You can't give away what you don't know."_

* * *

Jason found the Doctor crouched in front of a crushed chunk of plastic, and instantly saw why it had attracted his attention. Unlike the vast majority of the items that littered the floor, it was not a melted, fused mass. As he drew nearer, he realized it was the monitor he had used to keep tabs on the bridge. It had also been what had crushed his right leg to a pulp. "What have you found now that has you so excited?" he asked in as casual a tone a possible.

"You recognize this?" the Time Lord asked without looking up, pointing at the object.

"It's the monitor from the passenger cabin," came the noncommittal reply. "What about it?"

"Incase I miss my guess, this particular model has its own internal memory recorder. The backup black box, I think they used to call it." The Doctor was attacking the back of the monitor, pulling off the casing and hunting through its innards until he found what he was looking for. A cry of triumph escaped him as he pulled out the memory core with a flourish, slipping it into a pocket. He quickly replaced the casing and rose to his feet.

While this was going on, Jason was taking in the items around him and suddenly gave an involuntary cry, having seen what was left of some of his personal belongings. One object in particular grabbed his attention. It appeared to be just a battered metal container but was actually the case containing all the official documentation for the summit. He crossed to it, carefully lifting it from the floor.

"I don't think we should be taking anything so…obvious," the Doctor pointed out.

"Doctor, this box contains everything pertaining to the summit and is vital to my mission," Jason said firmly. "A lot of work went into collecting all this. I thought it was lost in the crash. I'm not losing it again."

The Time Lord cleared his throat. "I don't know if I mentioned this or not, but everything connected with this ship has been slowly disintegrating."

"Everything but _me,_ you mean?"

The Doctor met Jason's challenging gaze, saying nothing.

"I just scanned the interior and exterior of the passenger cabin," Jason informed. "I think it might be best if I take my _personal _belonging with me. _You know_ they're six hundred years out of _time_."

The Doctor scowled. His former companion had just informed him that what he needed to do was important but could not be revealed openly. "Alright," he said at last, looking around the room. "But only personal belongings. I can only turn a blind eye for so long."

The Alterran looked around, having to scan the objects too badly damaged to identify visually. The Doctor sent Mel to the TARDIS to retrieve the cart she had used for her luggage and Jason placed his personal possessions on it as he went. He wavered a few times as he examined the items littering the floor, waving off any attempts to assist him, stating that he was simply tired. After nearly half an hour he had examined every item on the floor of the building and crossed to the table that had all the smaller objects laid out on it. With a small squeak of delight, Jason produced his wedding ring and immediately returned to his left hand.

"_Now_ I have everything," he announced.

The Doctor nodded approvingly. "Excellent. Now to the TARDIS."


	27. Taking Time Off

**CHAPTER 27**

**TAKING TIME OFF**

The Doctor led the way to the TARDIS, allowing his friends to enter first. As they stepped into the console room, he asked Mel to close the doors. The moment she did so Jason practically collapsed, having to grab the upright bar on the cart in order to stay on his feet. Having anticipated this, the Doctor was already beside him and caught him by the arm.

"Mel, water please," the Time Lord ordered.

Needing no further prompting, his companion dashed through the interior door.

"I don't think I could've hung on much longer," Jason confessed, a hand going to his spinning head.

"How's the little miracle holding up?" the Doctor asked as he helped his friend to a chair.

"Fine. It's me that's taking a beating," Jason said as he slowly sat down. "It was designed for low level energy restoration, not the high volume demands I've been putting on it."

The Doctor got down in front of him, looking him straight in the eye. "Jason, you _are_ going to be alright, aren't you? I want the truth this time, not an evasion."

Considering the all the veiled accusations he had been getting, Jason found the Time Lord's sudden show of concern surprising. "I'll be fine. I need to stop the constant drain on my system and stabilize my energy reserves before I completely exhaust myself. Direct enough?"

"Satisfactory, as K-9 would say. I believe an accurate translation would be, you need some time off."

"Yes. And speaking of time…" The Alterran pulled a small box from his pocket, handing it over. "That should have more than enough information for you. When we have time—no, pun intended—you're going to have to tell me more about that temporal manipulator and how it works. It puts out an incredible temporal field and some very serious energy."

"Really?" The Doctor was now more than a little intrigued. A sudden thought struck him and he gave his friend a steady look. "Did you leave yourself _completely_ open to that temporal aura?"

Jason gave him a small smile. "Um, not completely…no."

"Jason, I wanted you to help me trace the source, not put yourself into a coma again," the Time Lord said disapprovingly as he took the box to the console and slotted it into a panel.

* * *

"_Well, they didn't find your transmitter." K'ell'k observed, leaning back in his chair. "What now? Wait until they come out"_

_l'X'el heaved an exasperated sigh, uncertain what to do at this point. He did not reply, his fingers playing over the computer. He set the system on a slow forward scan in search of the Alterran's mental energies, hoping to pick him up the moment he emerged from the TARDIS._

* * *

When Mel returned to the control room she found the Doctor working diligently at the console, having apparently abandoned the debilitated Alterran who sat across the room silently watching him through half closed eyes. She threw an angry scowl in the Time Lord's direction before giving Jason the water. He drank it gratefully, finding her anger amusing.

"It's okay, Mel. There's no way they can monitor us in here." Jason leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes wearily. "Now maybe I can _finally_ get my system stabilized."

"Good idea," the Doctor agreed from his place across the room. "It'll take a bit to get all this data analyzed. Why don't you go to the Zero room and rest while I do that?"

Jason frowned, the Time Lord's light tone setting off an alarm in his head. "Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of me all of a suddenly?"

The Doctor looked up sharply. "What?"

"And don't give me that innocent routine, either. I _know_ you. You've been watching me like a hawk all morning and now you're ready to just pack me off to the Zero room." Jason tried to keep an accusing tone from creeping into his voice as he went on to say, "You _know_ something, don't you? Something you don't want to tell me. Are you afraid I might snap again if I hear it?"

The Doctor drew a deep breath and straightened. He met his friend's accusing gaze steadily, shaking his head. "No, actually, I'm afraid I might influence history," he stated seriously.

"History?" Jason's eyes narrowed. "It's that El'Li'Ono accord business, isn't it?"

The Time Lord cleared his throat. "Yes. You were supposed to forget about that."

"Fat chance."

"And then there's the _SILVER TRIUMPH_," the Doctor went on tantalizingly, causing his friend to scowl further. "Which vanished on its way to Earth in the year—"

"I know what year it was!" the Alterran exclaimed, the accusing edge finding its way into his voice at last. "And we both know why it vanished, don't we?"

The Doctor remained silent, his gaze unwavering. Suddenly the implications of what he had said sank in and Jason's mouth dropped open. "Wait a minute. You said it _vanished_. As in, never seen again. That's what you're saying, isn't it? I should be dead."

After a long unnerving silence, the Time Lord replied, "I don't know what I'm saying. I know the ship was lost. And I know the outcome of your summit. I do not, however, know the complete details of the events surrounding it."

Jason put his head in his hands, closing his eyes. He sat motionless for several minutes, his mind racing through all the facts as he knew them. The summit, the attack, the wormhole that wasn't a wormhole, crashing in the past, Mel, the Doctor, the temporal manipulator…

Jason's eyes snapped open and he looked up sharply, seeing an expectant look on the Time Lord's face. The Doctor had already seen his future so he _had_ to know he was meant to survive the crash. He simply wanted his friend to figure it out for himself.

"Is this your way of helping me get my head on straight?" Jason asked, not sure if he should be angry or not.

The Doctor gave him innocent look. "You ready to put a few more pieces together?"

* * *

After several hours the Doctor had pieced together a considerable amount, and not just of the puzzle, but of a bizarre looking device he had cobbled together beside the console. He had tried to triangulate the position of the temporal manipulator using the device Jason had carried but had been unable to get an exact fix on its position. He concluded dejectedly that the time differential was very likely too great for the small device to handle.

Jason had added to the puzzle by telling the Doctor the results of his scan of the _SILVER TRIUMPH_. Like all the other debris collected from the crash site, the exterior of the ship was deteriorating exponentially, but the interior was completely unaffected by the ravages of the temporal distortion. As far as Jason could tell, he had been at the heart of a time bubble that had saved his life by actually increasing the strength of the reinforced plating.

"It may not have actually strengthened it so much as suspended it in time," the Doctor observed as he rigged up the monitor's memory core for playback

"Keeping _me_ preserved until impact." Jason shuddered. "Whoever these kids are, they're not very good at covering their tracks."

"What do you mean?"

"It's something you said before," the Alterran replied, going down the considerable list of unlikely coincidences they had encountered since the episode began.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Yes, there have been quite a lot, haven't there. Coincidences of that order are normally the result of temporal interference."

"Which is exactly what we're dealing with now."

"Precisely. I knew you'd get it in the end," came the smug retort.

Seeing Mel's stunned reaction to this seemingly patronizing remark, the Alterran leaned over, nodding in the Doctor's direction. "Don't mind him. He likes to act superior. Keeps us lesser mortals in awe of his brilliance."

Mel giggled at the loud harrumph this comment produced from the Doctor.

"Then perhaps you'd care to enlighten this higher mortal as to how you managed to follow that time aura back to its source," the Time Lord said frostily.

Jason considered a moment. "It was just a psychic projection, like in the Crystal Cavern."

"Jason, you were linked into the Cavern Matrix then," his friend pointed out. "Are you saying you were, or _are_, linked into this time aura, too?"

"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. Once I had my sensors tuned into it, I just… got pulled in."

"And then decided to pull me along with you," the Doctor muttered thoughtfully.

"I just figured, since you're telepathic and time sensitive…" Jason's voice trailed off as the Time Lord's features darkened in disapproval. He gave a bright smile, adding in a placating tone, "And since you're so much better at this sort of thing than I am…"

"Ah! Now he tries to flatter me!" the Doctor blurted out, throwing his hands in the air. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that stunt was? Following the time trace once was bad enough. You could've killed yourself dragging me along—" He broke off turning sharply back to the temporal collector his friend had been carrying. Striking his forehead with his open palm, he exclaimed, "Of course! Why didn't I see it before?"

"I don't know. You lost me with the flattery," Jason said dryly, exchanging a confused look with Mel.

By this time the Doctor was charging around the console room, unable to contain himself. "Yes, but you didn't lose _me_," he said unhelpfully. "How ever you connected yourself into that time aura it allowed you to follow it to its source _and_ take me with you."

"I know. I was there."

"Yes, but _I_ wasn't a part of the energy field until y_ou _pulled me in," the Doctor said pointedly. "_And_ manipulated it at the other end."

Jason blinked, his mouth dropping open.

"Are you saying you can use Jason to trace this time aura to its source?" Mel injected, hoping she was following the Doctor's train of thought correctly.

"_That _would be very foolhardy and extremely dangerous," the Doctor replied sharply.

"I'm willing if you are." Jason held up his hands to stop the protests he knew would be coming. "I know what to expect this time."

"Perhaps," the Doctor replied, "but I think we'd be better served if we routed you through the TARDIS's telepathy and navigation circuits."

"And use the trace as a homing beacon," the Jason concluded admiringly.

"Yes, but first…" The Doctor rubbed his hands together, moving over to the pile of junk he had wired the monitor's memory core into. "Let's have a look at this."

Jason leaned over to Mel again. "I give it two minutes before it blows up."

Mel giggled as another loud harrumph came from the Doctor before he announced, "I think you'll find this device will last at least five."

"You willing to put money on that?" the Alterran joked.

The Doctor snorted, turning his back on his now grinning companions. He punched a button and looked expectantly at the scanner screen.

Jason nervously followed his gaze, seeing a storm of static that was quickly followed by the image of what he had thought to be a wormhole and the nightmare ride to Earth. Mel had been standing beside him and turned to watch, her eyes widening as the Shuttle appeared and was sent spinning into the atmosphere in pieces. This was followed by the near miss of the MIR space station. Before the inevitable crash landing, there was a loud pop as the Doctor's device suddenly exploded into a shower of sparks, having lasted less than two minutes.


	28. Homing In

**CHAPTER 28**

**HOMING IN**

_l'X'el and K'ell'k nearly jumped out of their skins when the globe in front of them suddenly flared so brightly they had to shield their eyes. A moment later it completely clouded over and began going alternately brighter and darker. Then the system started to overload, the computer screens on the active podiums going brighter and darker in time with the globe. _

"_What's happening?" K'ell'k demanded, shielding his eyes with his hands as the computer in front of him flared again. _

_Jason materialized during this technological upheaval. He watched l'X'el trying unsuccessfully to regain control of the system, which only fueled is anger. He folded his arms, taking an angry stance, his disapproval clearly evident. _

_As the unseen Alterran's anger rose, the feedback caused by his mental trace increased and sparks started flying from the podiums._

* * *

"Contact!" the Doctor announced, his hand flying over the controls. A moment later, he hit the dematerialization switch.

Mel was beside the motionless Jason who had a variety of electrodes attached to his head linking him into the console. She was closely monitoring his vital signs with a small handheld scanner. At the least indication of danger, a cutoff switch would be thrown, terminating the connection and pulling Jason back.

"Any idea where we're headed yet?" Mel asked without looking up.

"Not yet. The navigation computer's still processing the trace," the Doctor replied. A smile came to his face as the computer locked onto the coordinates, the room shuddering as the TARDIS changed course. "Now that _is_ a surprise," he said, taken aback by the readings. "I haven't been there in a while."

"Where?"

"Well, if you go by what the rest of the universe believes, we are currently on course to a planet that doesn't exist."

"Oh great," Mel moaned.

* * *

_When l'X'el finally managed to get his computer under control, the information it yielded only added to his shock. "It's an overload!" he gasped. "I'm getting feedback. Massive feedback."_

"_What's causing it?" K'ell'k wanted to know._

"_I don't know! Everything's running out of control!"_

"_l'X'el, you have to _do_ something! Turn it off! Pull the plug! Something! If the feedback runs the other way, you'll kill—" _

_K'ell'k was in the process of getting down from his chair when the podium in front of him exploded. Caught completely off guard, he was lifted off of his feet, and thrown halfway across the room. _

_The invisible Jason watched helplessly as the youth was sent flying. He landed several __metres__ away, his head cracking loudly against the stone floor._

* * *

The monitor in Mel's hand suddenly let out a loud beep and she jumped. "Doctor!" she gasped, "Something's happening. These readings are all crazy."

The Doctor was at her side in an instant, scrutinizing the screen. "No, no," he said under his breath. "Jason, what are you doing?" He was about to reach for the cut off when the Alterran drew a deep breath, his eyes struggling open.

"Locked on?" Jason asked in an urgent tone. "Are you…locked on?"

"Yes, you did very well," the Doctor said proudly, patting him on the shoulder. "You rest. We should arrive shortly."

Jason shook his head and closed his eyes. "No, I'll see you there."

"What! No! Jason, wait! You're not strong enough—"

It was already too late. The Doctor watched in horror as the Alterran's body faded and then completely vanished from the console room.

* * *

K'ell'k was bleeding profusely from where his head struck the floor. l'X'el was beside him but had absolutely no idea what he should do. Jason suddenly materialized in the room, startling the distraught young man as he abruptly appeared out of nowhere. "Ambassador!" the boy gasped.

"I don't know what your story is, but save it," Jason snapped angrily as he crossed the room. "I'll deal with you later." He knelt down and quickly examined the unconscious K'ell'k's injuries. "What's your name?" he asked without looking up.

"Um…l'X'el."

"And his?"

"K'ell'k—Kay. He's my brother."

Jason looked up, his striking blue eyes boring into the unprepared l'X'el to the point that he actually flinched. "Your brother has a serious head injury…" he began firmly.

"This is all my fault!" the boy moaned despairingly. The Alterran grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "Listen to me! If your brother doesn't get immediate medical attention, he'll die! Do you understand?"

Tears were already welling up in l'X'el's eyes. "Yes. But do _you_ understand that there is no help here?"

At that moment the TARDIS materialized with its usual cacophony of wheezes and groans, a final thump announcing its arrival into the realm of reality. The second the time machine fully solidified the Doctor was out the door and heading across the room. "What do you think you're playing at, pulling a stunt like that?" he admonished angrily.

Jason was lifting the unconscious K'ell'k from the floor. "Sorry, Doctor. Medical emergency. This is K'ell'k, and that's his brother, l'X'el. My trace of the time aura caused the system to overload and K'ell'k got hurt when the energy discharged at this end."

The Doctor stopped dead in his tracks, immediately curbing his anger and waving his friend on. "Go." He turned to the awestruck l'X'el, who was staring open-mouthed at him.

Seeing this, Jason rolled his eyes, carrying K'ell'k into the time machine and leaving the Doctor to sort out the unlikely orchestrater of their present situation.

* * *

Mel had to jump out of the way when Jason suddenly strode through the exterior doors, the limp youth in his arms. "I'm assuming the Doctor told you to stay here incase of trouble," he said as he quickly crossed the room.

"Yes, was all Mel managed to say.

"Good. I'm on my way to the sickbay. This young man needs immediate surgery. Let the Doctor know where I am when he comes back."

Before Mel could respond one way or another, Jason had vanished through the inner door.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:Yes, It was a lot shorter than the others. We are moving into Part Two. Now that the Doctor has arrived in the flesh, events with l'X'el and K'ell'k will no longer be italicized.


	29. Medical Emergency

**PART TWO**

**CHAPTER 29**

**MEDICAL EMERGENCY**

"My brother—" l'X'el said at last, looking in the direction Jason had just taken.

"Is in expert hands," the Doctor replied firmly, barring the way to the TARDIS. "Now, l'X'el, is it?"

l'X'el actually jumped when the Time Lord called him by name. "Yes, sir."

"Well, someone's taught you some manners. That's something, at least," the Doctor observed frostily. He drew himself to his full height and glared down at the young man, hands on hips. "Well? You wanted me here. I'm here. Now I'm going to put this very, very simply. _Why?"_

l'X'el opened his mouth only to be cut off when the Time Lord added, "And if you tell me this is some sort of juvenile prank I shall become very, very angry_."_

The Doctor's set expression sent a chill running down l'X'el's spine. Even though he knew the reasons behind his actions were valid, he felt in more trouble than he ever had in his life.

* * *

Several minutes after Jason's departure, the Doctor led a subdued l'X'el into the console room. "_You_, sit there and don't move," he ordered. To his companion's surprise, the boy meekly did as he was told. "Jason's gone to the sickbay, I take it?" the Doctor said as he went to the control console.

"Yes." Mel wasn't sure he even heard her, the comment apparently having been rhetorical. He made several adjustments to the controls before going swiftly through the inner door. "Don't mind me," she said to the closing door. "I'll just stay in the console room, shall I?'

Suddenly the Doctor popped his head back through the door. "On second thought, come with me, both of you."

* * *

As soon as Jason arrived at the sickbay he transmuted to his true Alterran form, which, as he had told Mel, was anything but human. His main body was large and bulbous in shape with sapphire blue crystals evenly spaced around the circumference. His appendages were tendrils, seemingly too numerous to count that snaked down to the floor, barely touching the surface as he hovered in the air. Normally Alterrans only appeared this way among their own people, since a human's reaction to their true form was usually one of abject terror. Over the years, however, Jason had grown accustomed to returning to his true form in the confines of the TARDIS, the Doctor being the only outsider he had ever encountered who had accepted his true appearance without batting an eye.

Now that he was able to utilize his numerous appendages, and with an extraordinary ability to multitask, Jason quickly prepared K'ell'k for surgery. He had just placed the boy under a sterile field generator when the Doctor appeared at the observation window.

"You got here fast," Jason remarked.

"Actually," the Doctor replied, "I made a quick change to the architectural configuration and put a door in the main corridor leading directly into the sickbay. I also brought l'X'el and Mel with me. They're in the waiting area. I had a feeling you'd be operating in your true form."

"Easier for me to work this way," the Alterran replied as he began the surgery.

"So I recall." The Doctor paused before asking, "Do you need any help in there?"

Jason did not even pause in his work. "I won't say no. As I said before, I'm still not back to one hundred percent. If you'd keep an eye on his vitals for me, I'd be much obliged."

The Doctor was already moving to the decontamination area. He changed from his long coat into surgical scrubs before entering the operating room, going straight to the monitors. "Ah, you've already got them programmed for his race's norm," he said admiringly. "I didn't realize you'd encountered the Wieonol before."

This remark was actually enough to cause Jason to momentarily stop his flurry of activity. "You really shouldn't do that while I'm working on someone's brain, Doctor," he admonished sharply.

"Sorry, force of habit," the Doctor said quickly. "l'X'el was rather forthcoming after you left us." Even though Jason did not reply, his crystalline sensors flared, an indication to the Doctor that he had gained his attention. "It seems we misjudged this young man and his brother."

"Oh? Are they acting for someone else?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that," the Time Lord replied. His attention was caught by one of the monitors and his voice became serious, "Jason, his pressure's dropped a bit."

"Yes, I see it. How are the other vitals?"

"Strong and steady."

"Good. Keep an eye on it. This is the tricky part. I have to tease this clot out very carefully."

The Doctor returned his attention to the monitors as the Healer worked in silence. After a few minutes, Jason announced, "That's done it. I'm closing now." His movements then slowed visibly. "Okay, Doctor, now that I don't have to concentrate so hard, will you _please_ tell me what the Wieonol are doing manipulating our timelines."

The ancient race of the Wieonol had developed much in the way of other races, having gone through a period of upheaval, internal conflict and destruction. After many centuries of violence they eventually utilized their extensive technology to benefit their race rather than destroy it. Several more centuries of change saw the Wieonol becoming the most renowned race of stellar cartographers to ever exist. They later constructed a barrier around their world, rendering it invisible to all save those races as advanced as themselves. Only those possessing the technology capable of penetrating the barrier would even know the planet was there, which was how the Doctor managed to stumble across it during his travels. Something his former companion had yet to learn.

The Doctor gave his friend an admiring look. "I had no idea you'd even heard of them let alone knew their vital statistics."

"I did study medicine on Gallifrey, if you'll recall," Jason reminded.

"What has Gallifrey—?"

"It has a very extensive medical archive," the Alterran went on as he returned to his human form. "Wieonol were stellar cartographers, if I remember my facts correctly."

"And you always do."

"But that was centuries ago. Is _this_ what they've gotten up to lately?"

"Not quite. But now I've seen that temporal manipulator, it does explain how they were able to make such detailed star charts," the Doctor said thoughtfully. "Just look backward or forward in time and note any changes."

Jason moved K'ell'k into the next room while the Doctor retrieved Mel and l'X'el from the waiting area. The Healer gave l'X'el a harsh look but did not interfere when he went to his brother's bedside.

"Don't let all the bandages frighten you," Jason said gently, seeing the boy's reaction to his brother's swaddled head. "He came through with flying colors. He won't wake up for awhile, though," he added, turning pointedly to the Doctor. "Which gives _you_ plenty of time to finish telling me what the hell is going on."

The Doctor threw a quick glance in Mel's direction and held out a hand, indicating that they all be seated. Only Jason remained standing, not moving from his patient's bedside. The Doctor cleared his throat dramatically. "What is going on, Jason, is a very elaborate call for help," he said succinctly.

"_Help?_" Jason gasped in disbelief. "You must be joking?"

"Do you recall asking how the Gres-Fa-Raayn found those planets of yours?" the Doctor asked, knowing the answer would be yes. "Well, it seems it was one of the Wieonol star charts that led them there." Jason turned an accusing gaze in l'X'el's direction. "And before you go jumping to conclusions," the Time Lord said forcefully, holding up a hand, "there's a great deal more to it than that. Now, promise me you'll control yourself until you've heard all the facts."

The Alterran drew himself to his full height, meeting the Doctor's gaze steadily. "Alright," he said finally.

The Doctor gave a satisfied grunt and proceeded to tell his friends the story that l'X'el had told him, which began more than a year before…


	30. What's Your Story?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wieonol - Pronounced WEE-ə-nol (rhymes with Tylenol)

* * *

**CHAPTER 30**

"**WHAT'S YOUR STORY?"**

A fault had developed in the Defense screen that for centuries had shielded the planet Enol from the outside universe. Before the Wieonol even knew it was there, a fleet of Gres-Fa-Raayn not only discovered it but had also used it to descend on the unsuspecting population. The invaders quickly learned the planet was devoid of any weaponry and swarmed unimpeded down. After subduing the inhabitants, the leader of the fleet immediately took control of the planet's considerable stellar technology to further expand the reaches of the militaristic race. In order to guarantee the cooperation of the Wieonol leadership, the Gres-Fa-Raayn had taken a member of each of the ruling families hostage. Later when the Heladin system and the planets it contained was discovered, the hostages were removed from Enol and placed on one of them. Shortly thereafter the controversy surrounding the planets' sovereignty erupted and the present summit was arranged, immediately curtailing the Gres-Fa-Raayn's plans of expansion.

Jason groaned and closed his eyes. "Why can't _anything_ with you be simple?"

The Doctor gave him a sideways glance. "You should talk, Mr. Ambassador."

Before Jason could think of a suitable reply, K'ell'k stirred. Only Jason heard the rhythm of his breathing change slightly, but all present heard the soft moan that followed. l'X'el got to his feet, giving the Healer a panicked look, uncertain what to do. It turned out the decision was unnecessary as the Alterran waved him over.

"Take it slowly, Kay," Jason soothed gently as K'ell'k struggled to open his eyes. "You've had a nasty bang on the head."

"Lix…" K'ell'k said almost inaudibly, unable to focus on the figures standing over him.

Jason looked up, suddenly seeing l'X'el for the frightened boy that he was. "Go on, talk to him," he encouraged quietly. "But not too long. He needs to rest."

Taking his brother's hand, l'X'el said, "I'm here, Kay."

"I can't move…" K'ell'k struggled to say. "You have to go…before they find you."

Jason scowled as his patient's vital signs changed dramatically and he gave his brother a warning look. "Keep him _calm_."

"We're safe, Kay," l'X'el soothed, leaning close to his brother's ear. "It worked. He came. Just like I said he would."

"Came?" K'ell'k repeated in bewilderment. "The Doctor? You really did it?"

"Yes. Everything's going to be alright now."

"No, Lix, it's not safe…"

Jason held out a hand to stop l'X'el from replying. "That's enough." The frightened young man nodded, saying no more. "Kay, listen to me," Jason said gently, leaning close so his patient could see him. "Do you know who I am?"

K'ell'k gave him an unfocused look and then his eyes widened. "You…you're the Ambassador," he said in disbelief. "Ambassador Krystovan."

"That's right. Do you believe _me_ when I tell you that you and your brother are safe here?"

"Yes, sir."

A small smile came to Jason's face. "Good. Now get some sleep. We'll talk more when you're stronger." To his relief the boy closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When Jason looked up again the expression on his face contained so much suppressed rage that the Doctor took a step forward. His former companion shot him a warning glance, stopping him in his tracks and causing him to stiffen visibly. Despite the outward signs, Jason was not on the verge of losing his temper. He was in no mood to be mollified either. He turned his angry gaze in l'X'el's direction, causing the youth to stiffen also. "The only reason I haven't given you a good hiding," he growled, "is because I promised the Doctor I'd wait until I had all the facts."

"Jason…" the Doctor said warningly.

The Alterran ignored him. "Now. What's _your_ story?" he demanded. "Why did you go to such elaborate lengths to lure the Doctor into coming here when all you had to do was _ask?_"

l'X'el threw a nervous look in the Doctor's direction, receiving a reassuring nod. "Go on, tell him," the Time Lord encouraged. The boy returned to his seat and drew a deep breath. He explained that the Gres-Fa-Raayn had taken over all means of communication on Enol and that all transmissions were being closely monitored. While searching the archives for a means of secretly constructing his own distress beacon, he came across the manual for the manipulator. He knew of the existence of the ancient device from his father, who had been its custodian for many years. What followed was months of research and practice on the manipulator, as well as research about the Doctor, who was something of a folk hero to the Wieonol.

"A folk hero?" Mel giggled. "You, Doctor?"

"It was a very long time ago," the Time Lord replied tersely. "Several lifetimes ago in fact."

"Oh," Mel replied meekly.

The Doctor turned to l'X'el, biding him to continue.

"Well, you know most of it," the boy went on. "When I found out about the summit, I knew I had to get word to somebody about the Gres-Fa-Raayn, but I didn't know how." He went on to explain that he had accidentally discovered the Time Lord's connection to Jason during his research. He had used the manipulator to review the Alterran's ambassadorial travels, thinking he might be able to somehow get in contact with him. It was not until he witnessed the attack on the _SILVER__ TRIUMPH_ and its subsequent encounter with a freak time eddy that his elaborate scheme began to shape. He got the beacon onboard by using the manipulator, adding it to the plans when the triple plating was installed. Its designation as a "stress monitor" would guarantee that no one would remove it and when the time eddy became a temporal distortion, it further guaranteed the correct ship would be sucked through.

"You changed the outcome?" the Doctor exclaimed in a disapproving tone.

l'X'el held up his hands. "I know, I know. I'm not supposed to. But you don't understand. The whole thing was rigged." Turning to the stunned Jason, he informed, "Your attackers were Gres-Fa-Raayn with orders to stop you getting to Earth. Only one of the smaller ships was let go so they could tell everyone what happened."

"And all the manipulation that followed?" the Doctor injected, his curiosity taking over. "The movement of the distortion, the faint traces of an interstellar ion field, Jason surviving a crash landing that should've flattened every piece of metal on that ship_._ That was all_ you?"_

"Yes. _And_ the location of the crash, his being found by your companion, the language barrier that keep her close at hand," l'X'el admitted, trying not to sound too proud of himself. "I… wanted to make sure I got your attention."

The Doctor blinked, wondering what else the manipulator was capable of doing. "You went to a great deal of trouble just to gain my attention," he observed.

"Endangering all our lives," Jason cut in sharply, "and nearly getting your brother killed in the process. _Why?"_

"Because my parents are among the hostages!" l'X'el exploded, having to fight back tears. "Nobody cares what happens to us." He waved a hand in his brother's direction. "I doubt they even know we're gone."

"Hang on a minute," the Doctor broke in. "You said only members of the ruling families were taken hostage."

l'X'el drew a deep breath to get control of himself. "On my mother's side there's my Grandfather, who's President of the Grand Council," he announced startlingly. "On my father's side is the head of the inner retinue." He looked over at his critically injured brother, a pained look coming to his face. "They're all _too busy_ to worry about the likes of Kay and me. I've been looking after him ever since our parents were taken."

"You're related to the President of the Grand Council and the Gres-Fa-Raayn are ignoring you?" the Doctor said in bewilderment, not quite believing this to be true.

"We're just a couple of outcasts. Troubled teens not worth their time. And as for the illustrious President G'rl'k…" l'X'el snorted divisively, waving a hand.

"G'rl'k!" the Doctor exclaimed, seizing the name and startling everyone in the room. "His father's name wouldn't have been Tre'lo, would it? Mother died in childbirth?"

l'X'el smiled, sitting back in his chair. "You remember them, Doctor? After all this time?"

Jason and Mel exchanged a look that was a combination of resignation and disbelief before each rolled their eyes.

"Oh yes, vividly. Tre'lo wasn't much older than you when I saw him last." The Doctor's voice hardened slightly. "He tried very hard to convince Susan to stay behind."

l'X'el nodded, having heard the story more times than he could count. "But Susan told him she couldn't stay because you needed her."

The Doctor snorted. "She couldn't stay because I wouldn't allow it!" he corrected sharply.

Jason gave an amused squeak. "Ordering a traveling companion around, Doctor?" he chided playfully. "That's not like you."

The Doctor gave him a piercing look. "Susan," he stated coldly, "is my granddaughter."

Jason blinked. "Your…? I never knew you had—" Seeing the painful ghost of a memory pass across his friend's face, he took a seat and waved a hand in the air. "Never mind. None of my business." He turned back to l'X'el, his face stern. "You've told us about your family and your sad story of being deserted. But you still haven't answered my original question. _Why_ did you go to such elaborate lengths to lure the Doctor into coming here when all you had to do was _ask?_"

"I was desperate and I didn't—" Breaking off, l'X'el threw a guilty look in the Doctor's direction. "I'm sorry. I just didn't think that you'd respond to something as mundane as a simple cry for help." Were the situation not so serious Jason would have laughed out loud. "Our problems are political and you can't get involved in that," the boy concluded.

"That's quite true," the Time Lord agreed solemnly and much to Mel's annoyance.

"What?" she exploded. "Doctor, these people need help."

The Doctor gave her a pained look. "My dear Melanie, the Wieonol are a conquered race. If they're too complacent to keep their protective barrier functioning properly, who am _I_ to interfere when someone else stumbles upon their weakness?"

"But temporal manipulation is another matter entirely, isn't it?" Jason injected knowingly, giving l'X'el a pointed look. "That's why you dragged my ship back in time."

l'X'el nodded but did not meet his gaze

"Well, I'm here now," the Doctor said firmly. "What exactly do you expect me to do? I still can't get involved in your planet's politics."

"I…I don't know!" l'X'el put his head in his hands. He suddenly looked on the point of collapse, the stress of the past year finally taking its toll.

A small smile came to the Doctor's face as he saw Jason instantly switch into what he had dubbed "Healer mode," the angry lines on his face vanishing. The Alterran said something quietly to Mel, receiving a small nod in reply. "I think you should get some rest," he then said gently, touching l'X'el's arm. "You can lie down in one of the rooms in the main sickbay."

l'X'el looked up in confusion. "I don't understand."

"You don't have to," Jason replied in the same gentle voice. "You've done your bit. You got the Doctor here. Let him work out what to do next. You get some rest before you collapse. You won't be much good to your brother if you end up in a bed next to him."

Mel was already at the boy's side. "Come on, I'll show you," she said gently, going to the door and holding it open for him.

The Doctor waited until they were alone before speaking again. "Jason, I really cannot get involved here," he stated flatly.

"It's not like you to back away from something like this," his friend observed.

"The Time Lords are getting very particular about what I do lately. I have to be careful. At least for the time being."

Jason nodded, and sat thoughtfully a moment. "Would you assist me, then?"

The Doctor looked up sharply. "What? Jason, it wouldn't make any difference."

"Let me rephrase that. Would you assist me, _Ambassador_ Jason Krystovan, the Imperial representative and leader of the upcoming Earth summit to investigate why the Gres-Fa-Raayn have concealed vital information and tried to stop the summit by making an attempt on my life?"

The Time Lord's eye lit up, a glowing smile spreading across his face. "You know? I believe I will at that."

By this time Jason was grinning from ear to ear. "I hope that is sufficiently official enough a request. I'm sure my Uncle will be more than happy the endorse it. He rather enjoys annoying the High Council."

The Doctor grinned and sat back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "So, Mr. Ambassador, how do you think we should proceed?"

His former companion grinned back "You know me, Doctor, concealment all the way. I'd go in by the back door. Whereas _you_ usually like to charge in head on. But since you probably already have a plan in mind…" He paused a beat. "That was a trick question."

The Time Lord's eye lit up, his smile widening. "Actually, I think you've hit the nail on the head. What we need is a two pronged attack."


	31. Making Plans

**CHAPTER 31**

**MAKING PLANS**

The Doctor was setting the coordinates for the Heladin system when Jason entered the console room. "Are l'X'el and K'ell'k all settled in?" the Time Lord asked conversationally.

"They're both sleeping, thank goodness. Mel said she'd keep an eye on them for me," Jason replied as he made his way across the room. He stood before his belongings and sighed heavily. "Do you really want to wade through all the documents on the Gres-Fa-Raayn's claim, Doctor? There are an awful lot of them." He lifted the mangled box from the cart and turned back toward the control console to make his point.

The Time Lord stopped what he was doing and straightened. He looked over at what he now knew to be a file box. "No, I'm sure they've found every loophole they could. Probably had every lawyer they could find on Enol working on them before turning them over to you."

The Alterran nodded and set the box into the floor. "That's what I thought, too." He took a smaller container from the pile and gently rubbed its battered surface with his fingers. He turned back to the Doctor, absently turning the misshapen object over in his hands as he spoke. "So Plan B is out. Back to Plan A?"

"Yes. Back to Plan A." The Doctor gave his friend a steady look, knowing how difficult this next step would be for him. It entailed Jason contacting the Alterran home world. Considering the fact that everyone would have assumed him killed in the attack, he faced the very difficult task of explaining how he had survived and what had happened in the interim.

"Might as well get it over with," Jason sighed, looking over at the communications system. He set the box he was holding beside the transmission switch and stood looking at it for a long time, composing his thoughts. As he reached for the switch, the Doctor suddenly stopped him, taking hold of his wrist and pulling his hand away.

"Didn't l'X'el say something about the Gres-Fa-Raayn monitoring all outgoing communications?" the Time Lord asked pointedly.

"But that was only out there—" Jason waved a hand toward the exterior doors. "—on Enol. Surely you don't think…?" His voice trailed off as he thought back on all they had learned. He gave the Doctor a steady look and nodded. "I have my own encryption code that only the Emperor's inner retinue can decipher." As he spoke, his hands moved swiftly over the controls finally going to the transmitter switch. "That should plug any leaks."

"Indeed. It will make explanations that much easier too, I should imagine."

After several messages and responses of disbelief, Jason was finally connected directly with the Alterran Emperor, who was delighted to learn his favorite nephew was still very much alive. They had a lengthy visual communication in which Jason explained the situation as they knew it, passing on the Doctor's concerns as well as his plan, which they hoped would resolve the situation. The Emperor's first act was to endorse Jason's official request for the Time Lord's assistance, thus alleviating any fear of intervention from Gallifrey. He also agreed that their concern, first and foremost, was the safety of the Wieonol hostages whom they had learned were being held on the planet designated as Heladin Alpha.

Jason was instructed to rendezvous with Commander SorRell, who was in charge of the Imperial Guards stationed on the protected planets, and apprise her of the situation. The Doctor would then coordinate with her troops while Jason went straight to Earth where he would await the next phase in the plan. Of course, first they had to actually locate the hostages.

Before signing off, Jason asked the Emperor to contact his family to let them know he was safe. He did not care if everyone in the universe believed him dead so long as his family knew the truth. He transmitted a message to his wife, which the Emperor agreed to pass along. "Thank you, Uncle," he said as he signed off. "I'll contact you from Earth when I arrive."

"Good to have you back, Jason," Emperor Quinton replied. "And Doctor…"

"Yes, Majesty?"

"The Emperor thanks you for assisting his Ambassador." The monarch's chiseled features softened and he smiled warmly. "And Quinton thanks you and Miss Bush for saving his nephew's life."

The Time Lord bowed slightly. "Majesty, as always, it is a pleasure to serve you."

Jason drew a deep breath when the screen went dark "Well, that's that dealt with." He turned back to the cart and started towards it. "Now to deal with this lot."

The Doctor turned his attention to the console. "Next stop, Heladin Alpha," he announced as he hit the dematerialization switch. The time rotor lit up and began its rhythmic rise and fall as the TARDIS took flight. The Doctor gave a satisfied grunt and turned to Jason. "Do you really want to go through all those now?" he asked conversationally.

Jason was looking down at the pile and turned to reply, as he did the console room distorted wildly around him, sending him reeling back against the wall. He stood clinging to the reassuringly solid surface as the console room spun around him. He had a horrifying sense of déjà vu, feeling as if he were back in the wormhole. The room shuddered, stretched from side to side, top to bottom and then, most frighteningly, seemed to actually fade out of existence. The phenomenon lasted several seconds, but was still long enough to leave him dazed and shaken.

When the room finally returned to normal, Jason waited a few seconds longer incase the world decided to turn inside out next. When it did not, he hesitantly let go of the wall and shook his head to clear it. Looking up, he saw the Doctor clutching the console with one hand and holding his head with the other, obviously having experienced the same affect.

"What the hell was _that?_" Jason asked as last, moving unsteadily to the console as he spoke.

"That's a very good question," the Doctor replied, scrutinizing the control console as Jason came up beside him. The interior door opened at that moment and neither of them turned around.

"Before you even ask, I don't know what happened," the Doctor said as his hands moved over the controls. "Looks like we grazed the edge of a temporal rift."

Jason looked up and stiffened visibly, staring wide eyed at the newcomer. He did not know who it was, but he knew for certain it was _not_ Mel. Not unless she had suddenly been transformed into a four-foot tall penguin. "Um, Doctor…" he said in a low urgent tone.

The Time Lord did a double take when he glanced up, seeing the stunned expression on his friend's face. "Jason, what on earth…?" He followed his friend's gaze and actually jumped, a startled cry escaping him. The penguin was Frobisher, a former traveling companion.

"Oh, dear," the Doctor said darkly. "I think things just got very, very complicated."


	32. Companion Exchange

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I must admit, this is one of my favorite chapters. I fell in love with Frobisher when I heard the Big Finish Audio Dramas and just _had _to include him. For those unfamiliar with Frobisher, he speaks with a New York City accent-well, he is a private detective.

* * *

**CHAPTER 32**

**COMPANION EXCHANGE**

"Doc, you mind tellin' me what's goin' on?" Frobisher said in bewilderment, looking from one to the other. As far as he was concerned, Jason was the oddity. "First the TARDIS decides to do a headstand, and now we're takin' on passengers."

The Alterran was completely taken aback, giving the Doctor a surprised and inquiring look.

"As I said before, I'm not entirely sure myself. And I'm even less sure now," the Time Lord replied, ignoring the amused expression that was blossoming on Jason's face. He made a hurried introduction and then returned his attention to the console.

"You traveled with a talking penguin?" Jason said at last, trying very hard not to burst out laughing.

"Hey, don't knock it till you've tried it," Frobisher said defensively. "The avian form can be very relaxing."

"I've always preferred an eagle myself. Better eyesight," Jason replied offhandedly.

The Doctor gave a theatrical groan before vanishing beneath the console. Whether this was to inspect its workings or escape the present conversation, his friends could not tell. "I always hoped you two would never meet," he muttered as he pulled off an inspection hatch.

"Why's that?" Jason and Frobisher asked in unison.

The Doctor's head popped up for a moment. "Because you're both shape shifters."

"I _hate_ that designation," Jason muttered under his breath.

"Having one of you about is bad enough, but now to have two!" The Time Lord shook his head, vanishing from sight once again.

Jason blinked and turned to the equally stunned Frobisher. They stood silently studying each other. The Doctor abruptly reappeared again. "Incidentally, Alterran and Wifferdill." He held out a hand to indicate which was which, incorrectly, before he vanished again.

"But not necessarily in that ord—" Jason broke off as he looked past Frobisher, his voice going from playful to serious. "Doctor, the exercise equipment is gone." He turned back to the corner beside the exterior doors. "And so is the cart with my stuff on it." The Doctor was immediately on his feet, looking from one corner of the room to the other. The two had the same thought at the same time and exchanged a horrified look. "Kay and l'X'el!" they cried in unison. Without another word Jason dashed through the inner door.

Frobisher gave the Doctor a steady look. "You wanna let me in on what's goin' on?" he said at last. "Just who is this Jason character? Why is he here in the TARDIS? Who are Kay and l'X'el? And why are you lookin' at me like that?"

The Doctor cleared his throat nervously. "You're not supposed to be here," he said calmly and then frowned. "At least, I think it's you who shouldn't be here." He looked at the console to verify that he was still in the same time zone and on course for the Heladin system. Seeing this was indeed the case, he gave a satisfied grunt and looked up. "I was right. It's you."

"You feelin' okay, Doc? That loop-the-loop didn't rattle your brain or anything, did it?"

"No, no, it's the TARDIS that's had her brain rattled, so to speak." The Doctor paused, listening to the ship. He knew every nuance of the time machine's workings; every hum, click and occasional clang. The time rotor was still rising and falling as it always did, the engines humming with power. The ever present hum of the time machine seemed unchanged.

Jason returned at that moment, a relieved look on his face. "l'X'el and K'ell'k are okay, but the architectural configuration's changed back to what it was before," he announced breathlessly. "The sickbay is a very long way away now."

"I'll fix that once I'm certain the TARDIS is undamaged," the Doctor replied. "Wouldn't do for Lix to get himself lost if he comes looking for us."

"He and Kay are still dead to the world, if you'll pardon the expression. But there's no sign of Mel," Jason said in a worried tone. "Not just her, everything connected with her. It's like she never existed."

The Doctor stood thoughtfully a moment. "I don't think it's a matter of never existed as much as hasn't existed yet," he said unhelpfully. "I think we may've jumped a time track. When the TARDIS bounced against that temporal rift, everyone inside seems to've shifted back in time."

"Everyone but Mel," Jason observed soberly, throwing a meaningful glance in Frobisher's direction. "Nothing like a companion exchange to make an already complicated situation all the more confusing."

The Time Lord did not reply, his thoughtful expression creased with worry.

Frobisher cleared his throat. "If anybody's interested, I have a suggestion."

"I'm glad someone does," Jason remarked, glancing in the Doctor's direction. "I'm stymied."

"Well, maybe if you go over the chain of events leading up to the TARDIS's case of the jitters, you might find a common denominator."

Jason broke into an enormous smile. "And give _you_ a better idea of what the hell is going on, right?" To his surprise, the penguin actually smiled back, something he did not think possible.

"Hey, I'm a trained investigator," Frobisher replied in a proud yet playful tone, waving a flipper in the air.

"With a unique perspective on events," the Doctor remarked.

"How's that?"

"You weren't involved in any of them." The Doctor's face cleared as a sudden thought struck him. "But you did experience the distortion. I've no idea why it happened, but it would explain why you're here and Mel, and everything connected with her, has vanished."

"Not to mention my stu—" Jason had turned back to the corner, expecting to see it empty. Instead, he saw the misshapen container of documents still on the floor where he'd left it. He crossed to the box and looked down at it in blank astonishment. "Um, so why is this still here?" he asked, glancing over at the Doctor, who was holding up the smaller box that he had placed on the console.

"And this," the Time Lord replied.

The Alterran looked at the box in the Doctor's hands and then the one at his feet. He crouched down and touched it, scanning it at the same time. He then compared that to what he had in his memory, a puzzled look passing over his face. He went over to the console, scanning the box the Doctor had in his hand.

Frobisher watched this display in bewilderment, but could tell by the look on the Doctor's face that something important was happening. He decided to hold off on the questions that were currently in the process of colliding into each other in a futile attempt to escape through his mouth.

Without a word, Jason gave the Doctor a steady look and held out a hand. The Time Lord offered his own and Jason scanned him and then himself as he had done with Mel on Earth. When at last he released his grip and stepped back, his puzzled expression having deepened further.

"Well?" the Doctor asked. "What's the verdict?"

Jason held up a hand. "One more scan and I may have an answer." He crossed to Frobisher and asked to touch him, explaining about his scanning at the same time.

Frobisher shot a questioning look in the Doctor's direction, receiving a nod of encouragement in reply. "You're quite safe, Frobisher," the Doctor assured.

"Eh…sure, go ahead. Scan me," Frobisher said, holding out a flipper. Had he not just witnessed the Time Lord allowing the procedure himself, he might not have been so willing.

With this scan finished, Jason drew a deep breath and straightened, turning back to the Doctor. "I'm not sure what this means," he began slowly, "but there is one distinct difference from before. Chronons. You and I are saturated with them, and my two boxes have very heavy traces. But Frobisher is completely free of any chronon particles whatsoever." He glanced back at the avian and smiled reassuringly. "Not that I have anything to compare that scan to."

"Go check l'X'el and K'ell'k," the Doctor instructed, giving Frobisher a reassuring sideways glance.

Frobisher looked up at the Alterran. "The Doc's got a theory."

Jason laughed. "Yeah, I know that look too." So saying, he vanished through the inner door.

As soon as he was alone with the Doctor, Frobisher went over to the console. "So, Doctor, you gonna tell me how you know this Jason character?"

"This Jason character, as you put it, is a former traveling companion and very dear friend of mine," came the astringent reply. He saw the stricken look on his friend's face and drew a deep breath. "How would you like to hear a story?" he then asked, going on to give a quick rundown of events as he knew them, beginning with the sighting of the temporal distortion and ending with Frobisher's bewildering appearance in the console room.

* * *

Jason returned from the sickbay with l'X'el in tow. He had found the same abundance of chronons in both Wieonol and was at a complete loss as to how they had all become saturated with them. As Frobisher suspected, the Doctor had a theory and it centered on the temporal manipulator.

"The manipulator?" l'X'el gave the Doctor a stunned look, thinking he was about to be blamed for the present situation.

"This is just a theory, l'X'el," the Time Lord stated firmly before going on. His theory was that when the manipulator exploded it flooded the room with chronons, which everyone entering had absorbed. Because Mel had remained in the TARDIS, she was prevented from being exposed, and when Jason handled the two boxes, he passed the chronons on to them.

"So when the TARDIS dematerialized, it got bounced around by all those free floating bubbles of temporal energy," Jason concluded, running a hand through his hair.

"That's the basic theory, yes."

"And the companion exchange?"

"Ah, yes well…" The Doctor cleared his throat in embarrassment. "I'm not exactly sure why that happened."

"Great. So what happens when we materialize on Heladin Alpha?" The question was no sooner out of Jason's mouth than the unmistakable sound of a materialization filled the room and he exchanged an uncertain look with the others.

"I think we're about to find out," the Doctor replied.

Everyone held their breath as the time rotor slowed to a stop. There was a collective sigh of relief a split second before the console room distorted as before. When the world retuned to normal, the time travelers took stock of the situation, discovering that Frobisher had vanished.

Jason glanced over to the corner beside him. "No exercise equipment," he observed sadly. He turned sharply to the inner door, his head cocked as though listening. "Well, any guesses?"

"Guesses?" the Doctor replied.

"Someone's coming down the corridor at a run. As a shot in the dark, I'd say male." With a small smile, Jason added, "That should narrow it down."

l'X'el turned to the inner door just as a young man who looked about the same age as him burst into the room. He was slightly built, with sandy blond hair and wore metal frame eyeglasses. He skidded to a halt, almost colliding with Jason who was nearest to the door. His mouth dropped open as he took in the occupants of the room and turned a questioning look in the Doctor's direction.

The Time Lord held out a hand and said grandly, "Everyone. Meet Grant Markham."


	33. Set Up

**CHAPTER 33**

**SET UP**

The TARDIS had materialized just outside the Imperial Guard's main command post on Heladin Alpha. The Doctor emerged first, Jason close on his heels. The bewildered Grant had been given a brief summary of the situation before being left in the console room with the equally bewildered l'X'el.

Jason threw a glance back at the time machine as he followed after the Doctor. He had waited until they were outside the TARDIS before changing into something that more impressively reflected his Imperial standing. He knew seeing him transmute would not only unsettle their newest arrival further but also generate numerous, time-consuming questions.

Within minutes the pair were in Commander SorRell's office and meeting with her senior staff. As the Emperor's representative, Jason passed on Quinton's instructions and authorization concerning the Doctor's plan, which the Time Lord then explained at length. At meeting's end, SorRell's second-in-command, Lieutenant Torr, took the Doctor and the other staff members to the situation room to begin coordinating the ground operations. The Commander went to the communications room to make contact with the security forces on the other planets and apprise them of the situation. She then set about arranging Jason's transportation to Earth.

Jason suddenly found himself alone in the Commander's office with nothing to do. He wandered over to a large window that dominated the wall behind her desk and took the extraordinary landscape. He noticed a large building in the distance that looked as if it were growing out of the side of a mountain.

SorRell returned to her office after several minutes to find him still gazing out the window.

"Commander, what's that building over there?" he asked, pointing in its general direction.

SorRell crossed to him. "Which one, your highness?"

Jason actually jumped. It had been so long since he had been addressed as Crown Prince that it actually startled him. It was very odd to hear again. "The one with the stacks. It looks like an old style nuclear reactor." This time he pointed directly at the structure.

"It is, sir. They were shutdown years ago and practically all of them were dismantled by the time we got here. Things were put on hold when the crisis started."

"Would anyone mind if I had a look inside?"

The Commander gave him a baffled look, wondering if this were a part of the Doctor's plan that she had missed. "It's just an empty building, sir."

The Prince gave her his most winning smile. Protocol dictated that, as the Emperor's designated representative, he was technically in command of the operation and was to be included in every aspect. But Jason knew that, as Commander of the entire security fleet in the system, SorRell was more than capable of coordinating her troops and those of the others garrisons without any help from him, especially since she was the one with military training. "Commander, I'm trying to politely get out of your hair," he said mildly. "I'm sure you can get this job done a lot faster without me looking over your shoulder. And this way you'll know where I am when my transport arrives."

Like the Captain of the _SILVER TRIUMPH_, the Commander's admiration for the aristocrat clicked up several notches. She had never met a member of the nobility who had not jumped at the chance to be in charge of so important an operation. "Well, since you put it that way, sir," she replied with a barely suppressed grin. "I was going to have a uniform issued—"

Jason waved a hand in the air. "No need for all that nonsense, Commander. I'm not what you'd call a stickler for the rules."

This time SorRell did smile. "I'll have someone shuttle you over, then. Distances are deceiving on this planet. Believe it or not, that's over thirty kilometres away." She reached for her communicator and a sudden thought struck her. "Can I persuade you to at least take one of these? I'd hate to be the one to lose you again after you've so recently risen from the dead."

* * *

The Doctor was heading back to the TARDIS when he bumped, literally, into the brooding Jason as he was coming around the corner. As they made their way through the building, the Time Lord explained the basics of what he had worked out with the Imperial Guard. SorRell's intelligence network had narrowed down the possible locations for the hostages to a handful, most of which were isolated communities scattered around the planet. Torr had asked for any medical information on Wieonol physiology that could be used for comparison against the indigenous population. Armed with this, the Doctor was to rendezvous with some of the ground troops in a tunnel system that was top of the list of hiding places.

"I can get you a complete bio-scan when I check on Kay," Jason informed. He stopped just as they were about to leave the building, nodding toward the TARDIS that stood a few short metres beyond the doors. "Doctor, what are you going to do about Grant?"

"Not much I can do is there?"

Jason gave him a disapproving look. "You know what I mean. You have to move the TARDIS to get into the tunnels. You've already swapped Grant for Frobisher. Who are you going to end up with if the TARDIS hiccups again? I mean…what if it's me?"

"I don't know," the Time Lord replied firmly. "But this is not the time to get into all that, now is it? Until the temporal manipulator is repaired, the TARDIS will very likely keep 'hiccupping,' as you put it. The lives of everyone on these four planets as well as Enol are at stake here. And as much as it pains me to say it, Mel isn't—"

"_Don't,_" Jason said firmly, taking him by the arm. "Just…don't. I'm the one who overloaded the manipulator. I'm the last one who should be making judgments because of what I forced you into." So saying, he pushed open the door and headed toward the TARDIS.

* * *

After checking on K'ell'k's condition, Jason instructed his brother again about what he needed to do to look after him properly. The youth gave a long-suffering sigh. "I know, I know. Let him rest and keep him calm. You already told me a hundred—"

"Lix, I can't stress this enough," Jason cut in sharply. "Your brother suffered a very serious head injury. Until he's stronger, I won't know how his brain or even the rest of his body's been affected. You must keep him quiet and follow the instructions I left to the letter. And whatever you do, _don't _tell him about the problems we're having. If he's awake during one of the temporal shifts, just tell him it's the TARDIS acting up. She does that every now and again." With a reassuring smile, he added, "I'll check his progress again when you get to Earth."

l'X'el's eyes widened. "We're going to Earth with you?" he gasped.

The Alterran shook his head. "No, not with me. You're staying in the TARDIS where it's safe. Once everything's ready here, the Doctor is meeting me on Earth to coordinate things there. You're going with him." Waving a hand in the air, he added, "And whoever the companion of the day is."

The young man nodded. "Ambassador, I'm sorry," he blurted out suddenly.

"What?"

"I'm…sorry," l'X'el repeated. "You were right. I should've just asked for the Doctor's help instead of…" His voice trailed off, and he lowered his eyes guiltily. "Now…Kay could die, Mel is missing and it's all my fault."

Jason's businesslike expression softened and he gave a small smile. "l'X'el, I know I was angry with you before, but I can't deny the fact that your interference saved my life. And for that I cannot thank you enough," he said gratefully. "Now, if you look after your brother as I asked, he won't die. I'll see you on Earth." So saying he turned and left the stunned l'X'el staring after him.


	34. In The Dark

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Grant Markham is the creation of Steve Lyons and was introduced as a companion in the Virgin Missing Adventure "Time of Your Life." (1995) He appeared again in, "Killing Ground." (1996) All you really need to know about him is he has a morbid fear of robots. If you have never seen him, he looks like a twenty-year old version of Harry Potter. Seriously.

* * *

**CHAPTER 34**

**IN THE DARK**

As soon as the TARDIS dematerialized, Grant vanished to be replaced by Peri. The Doctor groaned inwardly, dreading having to go through the explanation of the current situation yet again. He was saved the trouble when, upon rematerializing Grant reappeared completely unaware of the fact that he had disappeared at all.

"Well, that's encouraging—I think," the Time Lord muttered as he pulled the door lever. He cautiously peered out of the TARDIS before exiting, his companion close behind. They had materialized in an underground chamber that seemed to have been converted into a storage area. There were wooden desks pushed up along one wall with chairs stacked up on top of them.

"No one here to meet us," the Doctor observed in a surprised tone.

"You're sure this is the right place?" Grant asked quietly.

"No, but these are the coordinates Torr gave me."

l'X'el was at the door, nervously looking around the room. "What now?" he asked.

"I think Grant and I will have a little look round," the Doctor replied. "You wait here. If any of the Imperial Guard turn up before we return, you can give them the information in that box on the console. It's a copy of the scan Jason took of your genetic makeup." He nodded toward the open doors and the control room beyond.

"How will I know them?" l'X'el asked. "I didn't see any of the soldiers close up."

"Oh, you can't miss them," the Doctor said airily. "They're uniforms are blue with black and red flashes, and they usually act as if they own the place."

"Just like you, you mean?" Grant injected quietly.

The Time Lord gave him a dark look. "They also have a large gold insignia on the left side of their uniforms." He drew the Imperial seal in the dust. "Makes them rather difficult to miss."

_Also like you_, Grant thought, keeping this one to himself.

l'X'el gave a small smile, exchanging a nervous look with Grant. "I'd better get back to Kay," he said quickly, turning towards the door. "He may be waking up soon."

"Just remember," the Doctor called after him, "plenty of rest and no undue excitement. I know Jason seems a miracle worker, but he wasn't kidding when he said your brother wasn't completely out of danger yet. Brain surgery is nothing to trifle with."

"Yes, sir, I'll remember."

"Doctor," the Time Lord corrected pointedly.

"Sir?"

"Not sir, _Doctor_. I'm all for politeness, l'X'el, but _please_ stop calling me sir. Makes me feel like I'm in the military."

"Yes, sir—er, Doctor," l'X'el replied before vanishing back into the TARDIS.

The Doctor sighed heavily. "Well, that's him sorted out." Looking around, he added, "Now, let's see if we can't find the Imperial Guard, shall we?"

"You're sure they're down here?" Grant inquired meekly, giving his surroundings a dubious look. He had been uncertain of everything since he dashed into the console room to find it full of strangers, the explanation having done nothing to ease his mind. If anything, it had only made matters worse.

The Doctor crossed to an archway, a small cry of triumph escaping him as soon as he stepped through it. "Well someone's been here. Take a look." His companion came over to join him and looked around in awe. The enormous room was filled from floor to ceiling with electronic equipment of all shapes and sizes.

"What a mess," Grant observed, stepping into the room. "Is this a stockpile or a junk pile?"

The Doctor took a cautious step toward the heaped equipment. It teetered and groaned and he immediately stepped back, fearing that it might collapse on top of him if he were to disturb its delicate balance. "Perhaps both. Spare parts, do you think?"

"I think we'll never get through that without a bulldozer," his companion pointed out.

"Agreed," the Doctor said as he led the way back in to the other room. "Plan B."

"What's plan B?"

"We go the other way."

* * *

Jason was deposited outside the deserted nuclear site and waved as the hover car returned to the command center. There was no light showing anywhere within the building, which would have made continuing impossible had he been human. Pausing just long enough to change his eyes from human to the crystalline sensors of his true self, he strode through the main doors and began casually strolling through the building. From what SorRell said, he had expected to find the site stripped of all essential equipment, or completely gutted, but as he went deeper into the complex, it seemed much of the site was virtually untouched.

Entering what had once been a control room, Jason was relieved to see the site truly had been deactivated. He found only backup power available, possibly for the crews that had been dismantling the site. _They must have been pulled off quite suddenly_, he thought, _to leave so much intact_. Then he wondered if any fissionable material had been left. If the wrong person were to discover that, it could be utilized in a more destructive manner; like a nuclear explosive.

"Now that's a pleasant thought, Krystovan," Jason muttered darkly as he peered around a corner. "You're getting to be a real bundle of laughs in your old age." A sign on the far wall indicated the way to the main reactors and he decided to go in that direction, hoping he would find nothing at the end of his journey but a dead reactor with no core.

* * *

The Doctor and Grant were slowly making their way through the tunnel system. They had found a stone stairway that seemed to lead to the surface but discovered it had been blocked part way up. Continuing on, they followed one branch after another, sometimes coming to a dead end, other times having to decide which fork to take. In a rare moment of caution, the Doctor decided to be consistent and kept to the right fork whenever a choice had to be made. By the time they reached a second blocked stairway the Doctor had pulled a couple of torches from his pockets, the lights in the walls having started to flicker. Once or twice they had gone out altogether, which they had done only moments after they entered the tunnel they were currently in, the light from their torches throwing eerie shadows onto the walls and ceiling.

"I don't know if it's the dark playing tricks, Doctor, but they seem to just go on and on," Grant observed.

The Doctor gave a small grunt. "Deeper and deeper," he agreed.

"I don't think we should've come this far," his uneasy companion said finally. "How is anyone ever going to find us?"

"They many not have to. I think we've found the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Look." he announced, pointing on ahead. His companion looked in the direction indicated, seeing what he meant. The tunnel ended at a shaft that had a ladder affixed to the side, a dim light glowing beside it. The shaft went straight upward, vanishing into darkness.

"Looks like we climb again," Grant sighed. "At least it won't be blocked with rocks this time." He switched off his torch and stuck it in his back pocket before beginning his ascent.

The Doctor waited until he was several feet above him and was about to start up himself when he saw a set of switches on the wall. Calling to his companion to stop a moment, he tried them and was rewarded with a row of lights coming on all the way up the shaft.

Grant blinked against the sudden glare and then looked up, seeing just how far he had to go. "I think I liked it better when I couldn't see where I was going," he moaned before continuing the long climb.

By the time the two reached the top they were hot, sticky, thirsty, and completely exhausted. They sat for several minutes just catching their breath before looking around the room they had climbed in to. It was large and empty. It also had a metal door at the far end. "That looks promising," the Doctor remarked.

"That's what you said about the last stairwell we found," his companion pointed out as he slowly got to his feet.

"Yes…" the Doctor muttered. "Odd them _all_ being blocked. And recently, too." He pulled the door open and stepped out onto a metal gantry that overlooked an enormous room filled with pipes going in all directions. The room was in almost total darkness, the only illumination coming from the sunlight that was streaming in the large multi-paneled windows set high in the walls. "Now I didn't expect this," he said quietly, his voice holding back none of his surprise.

"Any idea what this place might be? Or rather, what it was?"

"Not in this light. It has a familiar feel to it, though. It'll take a bit to place it in my mind. I do get around, you know." Looking around, the Doctor saw a metal stairway further on ahead and slowly moved towards it. "Watch your step, Grant," he said as he started downwards.

Grant felt like he was back in the tunnels, the darkness at the bottom of the stairs seeming to envelope them. He gave way to an involuntary shudder, the looming pipes looking like the arms of an enormous metal monster. He closed his eyes tightly and turned away, trying very hard to push the thought from his mind that they had emerged into the domain of a giant killer robot. "I'm almost afraid to wonder why a bunch of poorly lit tunnels would lead into an abandoned building," he said finally.

There was a noise further on ahead and the Doctor stopped short, switching off his torch. "Possibly because it isn't abandoned," he whispered, backing up slowly. "Back to the stairs." They turned around just as two doors in what they had thought was a blank wall opened, one ahead and one behind. Light poured through the openings along with several rather rough looking and heavily armed individuals who were dressed in a vaguely military style. They also had their weapons drawn. Since these were obviously not Imperial Guards, the Doctor felt certain they were Gres-Fa-Raayn mercenaries and threw a quick glance in his companion's direction before putting up his hands in surrender.

"Looks like we got ourselves some intruders," the apparently leader snorted.

The unresisting time travelers were searched for weapons; something Grant felt had been a little too enthusiastic in his case, he being a far less imposing figure than the Doctor.

Having seen this, the Doctor put a protective arm around his companion, steering him in front as they were ordered through the open doors. "Might I ask where you're taking us?" he inquired practically.

"You're going to see Mr. Buckley," said the leader. "He doesn't take kindly to strangers, Buckley doesn't. Says they get in the way of efficiency."

The Doctor and Grant exchanged a long-suffering look before continuing in silence.


	35. Interrogation

**CHAPTER 35**

**INTERROGATION**

After a couple of wrong turns, Jason eventually found the first of the deactivated reactors and entered what he assumed had been the outer control area. He could detect the smallest traces of radioactivity without mechanical assistance or his scanning ability thanks to his silicon-based physiology. The most efficient way for him to do this was in his true form and he immediately transmuted, moving slowly around the room to check for any signs of radiation. The large reinforced door leading to the reactor's outer chamber stood open while the door to the reactor itself was still firmly sealed.

As Jason entered the outer chamber, he picked up faint traces of radiation, but since this was not unusual he was not overly alarmed. He made a quick sensor sweep of the area to make certain he was still completely alone before unsealing the door to the reactor. Now if he did flood the room with radiation, no one would be harmed.

"Well, here goes," he muttered. He cautiously pulled the lead-lined door open and moved straight into the core.

* * *

The man called Buckley was in what had once been an executive office that he had turned into his command center. He was seated behind a large desk, his feet crossed on top. When the group arrived he looked the prisoners up and down and promptly burst out laughing, much to the Doctor's annoyance. "This the best you could do, Delaney?" he asked between snickers.

"I take it you're the person in charge of this rabble," the Doctor observed icily. He was rewarded for his impertinence with a savage blow between the shoulder blades that sent him to the floor. "You'll speak when you're spoken to!" Delaney snarled, waving his gun in the Time Lord's face. "Or you'll get this between the eyes, you got that?"

"Not in my office, Delaney," Buckley snapped, taking his feet off the desk and sitting up. "You'll get blood all over the carpet."

The Doctor struggled to a sitting position, scrutinizing the man behind the desk and rubbing his bruised shoulders.

Getting straight to the point Buckley asked, "Who are you? And what are you doing here?"

"Well, I am known as the Doctor and this young man is Grant Markham. We're here because these fine gentlemen dragged us here against our will," the Time Lord replied astringently. Before Delaney could strike him again, he added, "Before _that_, we were investigating some tunnels and got ourselves hopelessly lost. Ended up climbing into this building. We were looking for an exit when these _individuals_ stopped us."

Buckley blinked, obviously amazed by this explanation. "Are you saying that you just… stumbled across us?" he asked, barely suppressing a laugh.

"Yes, that's precisely what I am saying. It's not that unreasonable, is it?" To the Doctor's bewilderment, the men behind him exploded into nervous whispers but he was unable to catch what they were saying. He threw a puzzled look in Grant's direction before returning his attention to Buckley who had waved Delaney over. The men conferred a moment before apparently coming to a decision. Buckley sat back in his chair, rocking back and forth a moment.

Not wanting to startle his already nervous captors, the Doctor motioned to Buckley for permission to rise, receiving a nod in reply. He got slowly back to his feet, positioning himself between the mercenaries and Grant. "Well?" he said expectantly. "Aren't you going to accuse me of lying? Being a government spy, or something equally ludicrous?"

"No. I believe you," Buckley announced suddenly.

This was so unexpected, the Doctor blinked, his mouth dropping open. Recovering himself quickly, he drew himself to his full height. "I'm pleased to hear it," he said in a guarded tone. "But by your tone I can only assume you're not letting us go, are you?"

"Nope. Can't do that."

"I thought not," the Doctor said quietly to Grant. In a normal voice he asked, "So what's to be done with us? Surely it's obvious we're no threat to you."

The man behind the desk continued to rock back and forth in his chair, his face unreadable. "The only thing that's obvious to me is that you don't belong here. And I can't have you telling everyone about our little operation, can I? So you're going to have a nice long stay with the rest of my…er, guests." Indicating the mercenaries, he added, "These fine gentlemen will make sure you don't get lost along the way." He waved a hand and the time travelers were unceremoniously dragged from the room.

* * *

Even though the reactor site was far from being completely dismantled, Jason was pleased to find there were no fissionable materials present. One of the reactors was still highly radioactive, however, and he reasoned it was probably the last one to be completely shutdown. In fact, the radiation level within the core would have been deadly to any humanoid life form. He, on the other hand, found it extremely soothing and greedily soaked up the raw energy. The preparations for the summit had been tiring to begin with. Then there was the crash of the _SILVER TRIUMPH_ and whirlwind of events that followed, not to mention the current temporal fluctuations, all of which had taken a heavy toll on him, both physically and mentally. Despite his reliance on the energy tube, Jason had had precious little time in which to recover his strength…or his sanity.

* * *

The Doctor and Grant were taken through a dizzying array of corridors and metal stairways. They had a guard on either side of them with Delaney in the lead. The Doctor had placed his companion ahead of himself in the group. In this way, should he see a way out, he could grab the boy and run before anyone, including his companion, realized what was happening.

After a short time it became apparent that Delaney was not only trying to disorient them, but also seemed to be taking them further into the building. When the little procession reached a corridor lined with deactivated monitor screens they slowed down.

"This isn't where the other prisoners are being held, is it?" the Doctor said as Delaney went over to a steel door.

"Think you're pretty smart, huh?" Delaney snorted. "Gonna try 'n make a run for it?"

The Doctor was a good head taller than the man attempting to threaten him and he scowled down at him, completely unfazed. His expression seemed to be one of boredom rather than fear, which only angered his unstable captor. The men on either side of him suddenly grabbed him by the arms and pushed him face first into the wall, twisting his arms behind his back.

"There's no need for this," the unresisting Time Lord protested.

"No?" Delaney challenged, giving his men a knowing look. "What'd you men think? He look like trouble to you?"

The Doctor groaned inwardly as the others muttered statements of agreement. The next thing he knew a door was thrown open and he was being forcibly dragged through it. The room beyond was large and literally heaped with discarded equipment. Another door further on was open and led to what looked like a control room that was either in the process of being put together or taken apart. Beyond that stood an enormous reinforced door that looked like it led into a bank vault. It too was partially open.

The Doctor could see the heavily plated door through the connecting doorway and suddenly knew what the building was. He turned sharply back to Delaney but before he could say anything one of the men said, "Come on, Delaney, get on with it. We all know the drill." He poked Grant in the ribs with his gun, causing the frightened youth to recoil, a startled cry escaping him.

"Looks like the boy knows the drill too, Tommie," Delaney snickered.

The Doctor had seen enough to know where this was heading and was about to protest when the guard who had been on the other side of his companion nervously said, "I don't know about this, Delaney. Buckley—"

"Gives the orders," Delaney snapped harshly. He stalked up to the young man and glared at him. "What's the matter, Percy? No guts?"

"I…just…don't want any trouble," the young man called Percy replied.

The self-proclaimed leader laughed derisively. He glanced at his cohorts, jerking a thumb in the young man's direction. "You men hear that? The new kid don't want any trouble." He received a chorus of snickers and guffaws in reply.

"Perhaps his worry springs from an aversion to abusing helpless prisoners," the Doctor observed acidly.

"Then he should get over it," Delaney snarled, striking the Time Lord across the face with the back of his hand.

Having expected a violent reaction, the Doctor allowed the slap across the face, bending sideways and then shoulder charging the unsuspecting Delaney, sending him and the two who had been holding him down to the floor. "Run, Grant!" he ordered, trying to block the others to cover the boy's escape. He almost succeeded, but his companion was cut off by Buckley, who had suddenly appeared in the doorway. He struck the fleeing youth and sent him sprawling.

A poorly aimed punch was thrown in the Doctor's direction and he threw himself back to avoid it, slamming heavily into Percy who fell back into a mountain of equipment. There was an almighty crash as the youth fell into the debris, another mountain collapsing on top of him, knocking him unconscious in the process. The Doctor's own escape was stopped before it started by the butt of a gun to the back of his head, dropping him like a stone.

"We'll get you sorted out, mate," Delaney growled, giving the stunned Time Lord a savage kick.

"Stay with the boy, Tommie," Buckley ordered as he entered. He crossed to his downed prisoner, giving him another savage kick and smiling evilly at the sound of cracking bones it produced.

* * *

Jason had dozed off without realizing, and thus his stay in the reactor was considerably longer than he intended. He was still lazily absorbing energy when the light in the exterior room came on. Had he left the heavily plated reactor door open more than a slight crack the unexpected illumination would have awakened him immediately. Instead he was only vaguely aware of someone being present when the voices started.

Jason heard the Doctor call out to his companion and came partially awake. Then there was the sound of the equipment crashing and the Alterran dazedly concluded that he had been in the radiation saturated environment too long and was simply experiencing the waking dreams this sometimes caused.


	36. What Is That?

**CHAPTER 36**

**WHAT IS THAT?**

The petrified Grant was dragged from the floor by Tommie and roughly thrust into the corner beside the connecting doorway. At the same time two others dragged the Doctor, feet first, into the next room where his long coat was pulled off and dumped in a heap. There was a heavy chain set in a track in the ceiling that at one time had been used to move heavy equipment. It became obvious to the watching Grant that it had since been modified for other purposes.

Delaney went to a control panel, moving the chain along the track until it was positioned over the stunned Time Lord's prostrate form. Instead of a hook, the chain ended in a metal bar that had leather bindings attached to it. The Doctor's wrists were secured in the restraints and then the chain was ratcheted up, pulling him from the floor. His ankles were strapped into the leather bindings that were secured to rings set into the floor. While this was going on, a bucket of water was retrieved from the decontamination room and placed at the Time Lord's feet.

Satisfied that at least one of his prisoners was completely helpless, Buckley exchanged an evil look with Delaney before throwing a cupful of water into the Doctor's face to rouse him.

The Doctor returned to consciousness with a groan. He slowly opened his eyes, groaning inwardly when he found himself suspended from the ceiling, his hands and feet in shackles. He struggled to his feet, giving Buckley an unfocused look. "I thought you said you believed us," he said quietly.

"You must think I'm an idiot," the officer snarled, slapping him across the face with the back of his hand and opening a gash with the ring on his finger. "Now, here's the drill. You answer our questions; you stay alive. Simple." Turning on his heel, he ordered, "See to it, Delaney."

Grant did not see what happened next as Buckley was suddenly dragging him out of the corner and over to the opposite side of the doorway. He realized he had serious problems of his own when he was slammed forcefully back against the wall.

The Gres-Fa-Raayn officer had sized up his prisoners, and in the tradition of bullies all over the galaxy, had chose the weaker of the two to push around himself. He proceeded to fire a series of questions at the boy. Who was he working for? How had he found them? And so on.

Grant could answer none of these questions and said so, only to be rewarded for his honesty with a savage slap across the face that brought the taste of blood to his mouth and a cry of pain from his lips.

Delaney had taken charge of the Doctor's "questioning." As with Grant, the men on either side of him struck him whenever his interrogator received a reply he did not like. They began with their fists, adding the odd kick to his legs to knock him off his feet. After a few minutes the beating progressed from fists to sticks.

In the next room a similar progression of violence was happening. Buckley was looking down at Grant, who was on his hands and knees gasping for breath, having received a savage blow to the stomach. The boy continued to repeat that he did not know anything, only to be rewarded with a brutal kick in the side. He yelped in pain, curling into a ball and throwing up his hands to protect himself.

Tommie chuckled at the look of consternation on Buckley's face, which only angered his commanding officer further. Buckley pulled out a large knife and got down before the terrified youth, who cowered back against the wall as the blade moved closer to his already bleeding face. "Now, you're going answer my questions, very nicely," he hissed threateningly. "And if I get an answer I don't like, I'm going to cut something. You got that?"

Grant's eyes widened as the blade sliced a button from his shirtsleeve. He nodded, too terrified to speak. Unfortunately, as before none of his answers pleased his tormentor, who happily started to slice up his clothing.

"Oh yeah," Buckley informed cruelly as another button fell to the floor. "When I run out of clothes, I'm moving on to body parts."

* * *

Groggy and uncertain what was going on, Jason finally realized a small amount of light was coming through the door and went to investigate. The horrific scene that met his eyes made him stop short on the threshold of the reactor's outer chamber. He saw the Doctor suspended from a chain in the ceiling, his feet shackled to the floor. One man was standing with his arms folded watching as two others mercilessly beat him.

"Alright, boys," Delaney said suddenly, holding up a hand for the others to stop. Jason watched in silence as the man stepped forward and threw another cupful of water into the Doctor's face. He then took a fistful of his sweat and blood-soaked hair, jerking his head up and looking into his unfocused eyes. "We won't be gettin' anymore outta him," he snorted, thrusting his semi-conscious prisoner's head back against his chest.

The watching Jason breathed a sigh of relief as Delaney crossed to the controls, thinking he was going to lower the Doctor to the floor. Instead the chain was ratcheted up even further, pulling the Time Lord completely off of the floor until the chains securing his ankles were pulled taunt and a cry of pain was pulled from his lips. A cruel smile came to Delaney's face. "Nuttin' left to do now but finish him off, eh boys?" he said, waving a hand in the air. This was said with such sadistic delight that it sickened and enraged the watching Alterran.

As Delaney reached for the controls, one of the others said, "Put it on manual, Delaney. That machine takes all the fun out of it."

The man who had spoken inserted a rod into a winch and ratcheted the chain upward slightly, pulling another cry of pain from the helpless Time Lord. To his horror, Jason realized the three were going to continue drawing the chain towards the ceiling until the Doctor's extremities were pulled out of joint and his back was broken. One man stood tapping a stick in the palm of his hand and the Alterran came to the sickening conclusion that once the current torture was finished, the next step was to break every bone in his friend's body.

Stealing himself against the reaction he knew was to come, Jason absorbed a massive amount of radiation in a single gulp, his body glowing brightly in response. Thus prepared, he let out an angry howl, instantly gaining the men's attention and ending the lethal interrogation. "What the hell is that!" came an alarmed cry, a stick striking the floor with a clatter at the same time. Delaney drew his weapon and fired. To his horror the energy weapon had no effect on the creature that was slowly advancing on him. Backing away in terror he practically fell over the others to escape.

Buckley had also given up on the questioning, moving on to simply terrorizing Grant. After slicing up all of his prisoner's clothes, the officer had pushed him to the floor and was now sitting on his chest, pinning one of his arms to the floor with his knee. Tommie was holding the struggling Grant's other arm by the wrist and had pinned it to the floor while Buckley contemplated which of his fingers to cut off. He had chosen to leave the boy's eyeglasses intact, thus allowing him to clearly see as his extremities were removed.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" Buckley demanded as the others came pelting into the room. "Can't a man run a proper interrogation around here?"

"Th…th…there's…there's…" one stammered, pointing at the far door.

"There's a…a…_creature_ in there!" Delaney exploded. "It came at us, all glowin' like!" Waving his gun, he added, "This didn't even slow it down."

From his position on the floor, Buckley could not see through the door. When nothing followed the men out, he cocked an ear toward the door, hearing no sounds of a "creature" coming from the next room. "So? Where is it?" he asked in annoyance.

Tommie leaned back, being in a better position to see through the door. All he saw was an empty room, the shackles that had bound the Doctor swinging free. Turning back to Buckley, he gasped, "There's nobody in there! And I mean _nobody_. The room's empty!"

A few seconds before Tommie had looked through the opening, Jason had vanished behind the heavily plated door. He had removed his semi-conscious friend from the restraints and taken him to the relative safety of the reactor's outer chamber where he could examine his injuries. Notwithstanding the gashes on his face and torso, the Doctor was bleeding internally and had several cracked ribs, one of which had punctured a lung that was on the point of collapse.

Jason loosened his friend's shirt and cravat, placing him on his side to make it easier for him to breathe, which was already sounding very labored. "Come on, Doctor," the Healer whispered encouragingly, "let's get that Time Lord physiology of yours working for you." Within a minute, and to his own surprise, he managed to partially trigger the Doctor's respiratory by-pass system, shutting down the punctured lung. He then stimulated his system to stop the bleeding, sealing off various wounds as well as triggering an evacuation of the blood that had been filling the damaged lung. When he could do no more, Jason covered his unconscious friend with his previously abandoned coat. Thus satisfied the Doctor was out of immediate danger, the Alterran turned his attention to Grant, whose screams of terror had abruptly gone silent.

* * *

Already annoyed at having been interrupted in his torture of Grant, Buckley was about to let loose with a string of obscenities when Jason appeared in the doorway, still glowing brightly. Instantly forgetting about his prisoner, Buckley scrambled to his feet, dropping his knife in his haste, and missing stabbing Grant by centimetres.

"Don't just stand there, shoot it!" the officer screamed, tripping over his own feet and almost falling over as he backed away. He gave Delaney a shove in the Alterran's direction, using him as a shield at the same time.

Jason's original intention had been to simply frighten the men away. Then he saw Buckley, knife in hand, climbing off of Grant. The boy was bruised, bleeding from several cuts on his face and stripped down to his underwear. Beside him his clothes lay in a heap, slashed to ribbons. Jason stopped dead when he saw this, his crystalline eyes blazing.

Grant shrank back upon seeing what he could only assumed was the monster that had attacked the others. He let loose an almighty scream of absolute terror that he did not think he was capable of. He attempted to make himself as small as possible, scuttling back and pressing himself against the wall. Across the room, the mercenaries were scrambling for their weapons.

The Alterran's shock turned into anger and then, compounded with what he had seen happening to the Doctor, it transformed itself into outrage and his volatile temper erupted in full fury. He gave a howl of unbridled rage, causing the mercenaries to fire in panic, missing more times than not. Jason put himself between Grant and the armed men, shielding the unprotected youth from several wild shots.

"Concentrate your fire!" Buckley ordered as he continued to back towards the door.

The combined energy bolts had no effect and the panicked men finally lost their nerve and fled, practically falling over one another to escape. The Alterran charged at them as they made for the door, inwardly enjoying their panic. _How do you like it?_ he thought with uncharacteristic delight, picking up a chuck of discarded equipment and heaving it after them.

"Lock the door! Lock the door!" Buckley screamed as the last man tumbled across the threshold, pieces of metal and plastic flying out after him.

"Percy's still in there!" Tommie yelled as the door was slammed shut.

"Good luck to him," Buckley snorted as he and the others turned tail and fled.

Although terrified of the men who had just deserted him, Grant was completely petrified of the enormous creature across the room. He closed his eyes and waited for it to attack him, only to jump when it threw another box at the closed door, the contents flying in all directions. With a start Grant realized that the creature had either forgotten all about him, or (he hoped) had not even noticed he was there. It seemed more intent on smashing equipment against the door where the men had escaped, the growling noise it was making reminding him vaguely of someone shouting in rage. The last thing he wanted was for that rage to be turned on him.

As quietly as he could, Grant slid sideways toward the open connecting door, his first thought being to find out what had happened to the Doctor. The creature would have had to pass him in order to enter the room and Tommie had already stated that he had not seen him when he looked through the door. Grant moved as quickly as he dared, not taking his eyes from the rampaging creature and using his fingers to feel for the opening. As soon as he felt the doorjamb with his fingertips, he glanced quickly sideways and slipped through, closing the door as quietly as possible behind him.


	37. Not All It Seems

**CHAPTER 37**

**NOT All IT SEEMS**

Grant closed his eyes and leaned back against the connecting door, breathing a sigh of relief. He could not quite believe he had managed to escape without alerting the creature. He made to lock the door, only to discover that there was none and wondered if he could brace it with something. Then he realized that anything he was strong enough to lift would not even slow the creature down. He got to his feet and looked around the room, expecting to see the Doctor further inside. To his horror the room was completely empty. A chill ran down his spine at the thought that the creature had actually killed him, and he had to force himself to think logically. If the Doctor had been torn apart, there would be copious amounts of blood everywhere.

A thunderous crash sounded from the next room, startling the already anxious Grant. He backed away from the door, tripping over a stack of boxes that were piled against the wall. One fell over with him, disgorging its contains of coveralls from the former reactor workers. Since anything was better than nothing, which was practically what he had on now, he quickly slipped one on, having to roll up the sleeves and pant legs to make it fit.

After a short search, Grant found the Doctor within the outer chamber exactly as Jason had left him: battered, unconscious, and still very much alive. "Doctor," he whispered, shaking him gently. "Doctor, wake up." Another thunderous crash made him jump and he threw a nervous look towards the door. "Doctor, please," he said in a desperate tone.

The Doctor moaned and stirred. "Mel…?" he said dazedly. He came awake all at once, his eyes snapping open. "Grant!" He tried to sit up and groaned in pain, rolling onto his back and closing his eyes, a hand going to the side where his ribs had been broken. He made a quick mental inventory of his injuries and was surprised to find his body had already taken care of the majority of them without any conscious direction from him.

Another loud crash startled the Time Lord and he turned in the direction of the sound, seeing his companion for the first time. "Grant!" he gasped delightedly. He struggled to sit up, giving his coat a puzzled look when he realized he had been lying under it. Looking up, he scowled again when he saw Grant's battered condition and how he was dressed. "Are you alright?"

Uncertain of the answer himself, the boy shuddered and hugged himself, his gaze fixed on the floor. "I'm…not sure. I think so," he said at last.

The Doctor gave him a pained look, feeling more than a twinge of guilt. "This is all my fault," he said apologetically. "If I hadn't insisted on climbing that ladder…" He broke off as yet another crash came from the next room and he glanced in the direction of the sound. "We seem to have some rather noisy company," he observed dryly.

Grant nodded but did not look up. "There's a…creature out there. It chased those men off, but they locked it in…with us."

"Sounds as if it's taken exception to being locked in, with or without us," the Doctor remarked. Leaning forward to look his companion in the eye, he asked seriously, "Do you feel up to telling me about it?"

* * *

When Jason took the enormous dose of radiation as he exited the reactor, he gave himself what Alterran's referred to as a conversion rush, something akin to an adrenaline rush compounded by a massive dose of amphetamines. It was also just as dangerous, as it would burn out the individual experiencing it should the excess energy not be used up immediately. Being keenly aware of this, Jason was attempting to burn off the excess energy as well as vent the murderous rage that had exploded within him by smashing every piece of discarded circuitry, dismantled equipment, or heavy machinery he could get hold off. He had been aware of Grant's departure from the room, having picked up his movements with his powerful sensors, but at the time he was too intent on throwing everything he could at the means of mercenaries' escape than to do anything constructive, such as tell the boy who he actually was.

Somewhere in the back of his mind Jason realized the young man would be searching for the Doctor. It was this thought that finally triggered rationality again and he made a conscious effort to calm down. His friends might not be under immediate threat, but they _were_ injured and he _was_ a physician. He needed to compose himself if he was going to treat them properly.

Jason stopped his tantrum and remained motionless a few seconds, willing himself to calm down. Then he took in the mess he had made. With a resigned sigh, he started to clean it up, tossing the smashed bits that were heaped at the door into another heap further away, the glow from his body slowly fading as the excess energy was used up.

* * *

Grant told the Doctor of the sudden appearance of the creature, which he described as a glowing mutant spider. His view of the Alterran had been from floor level and all he could see were his tendrils, which seemed to be everywhere. He went on to describe the attack on the mercenaries, and then on the equipment in the room.

"I'd like a look at this giant spider of yours," the Doctor said as he got painfully to his feet.

"No, Doctor, just let it smash its way out," Grant said fearfully, catching hold of his sleeve. "You don't know what it'll do if it sees you."

"Don't I? Did you cut me down and bring me in here?" the Time Lord asked practically. "Tell my system to stop what is was doing so I didn't bleed to death?" He held up his coat. "Or cover me with this so I didn't die from shock?"

"No. You were already…" his companion's voice trailed off as he realized what he meant.

"Precisely. Whatever this creature is, I don't think it means _us_ any harm." The Doctor made his way painfully to the connecting door. "But from what you tell me, it took quite an exception to our mercenary friends."

"Doctor, _we_ didn't shoot at it," Grant retorted. "It may just be saving us until later."

"Now there's a pleasant thought." The Doctor leaned close to the door and listened a moment. "I don't hear anything. Perhaps it has smashed its way out." He glanced down at his frightened companion, seeing he was still trembling. He put his coat over the boy's shoulders and then moved him behind him. "Just incase I'm wrong," he whispered before slowly opening the door.

Jason was practically on the threshold when the door in front of him opened. The next thing he saw was one of the Doctor's bright blue eyes peeking through the crack, a surprised and delighted look sparkling in it.

Grant felt all the tension suddenly leave the Time Lord's body a split second before the door was pulled open. Thinking the creature had gone, he ventured a quick peek, seeing that instead of being gone it was no more than an arm's length away. His grip on the Doctor tightened, his eyes growing wide.

Seeing this reaction, Jason dreaded the inevitable. "Grant, you're not going make some kind of unpleasant noise again are you?" he said in a quiet, urgent tone.

Grant responded with a startled cry, his worst fears realized. Instead of being faced with a mindless beast, he was staring at a sentient being that…that… _Wait a minute. How did it know my name?_

The Doctor's reaction was completely different. "Jason Krystovan!" he scolded. "What in Rassilon's name are youdoing here? You're supposed to be on your way to Earth."

"Jason?" Grant gasped in disbelief. Now he was _really_ confused. How could the man he had been introduced to as Jason Krystovan be the terrifying creature that stood before him?

The Doctor glanced at his companion and then back at Jason. "I can only assume you never bothered to tell Grant who you are," he added reprovingly.

"I was a little busy scaring away your attackers," the Alterran replied sharply, returning to his human form at the same time. His expression softened as he leaned over to look at Grant, who had not moved from his place of safely behind the Doctor's large frame and seemed to be trying to disappear into the oversized coat covering him. "I am sorry for scaring you, Grant. I do have that affect on people. I just wish it weren't quite so dramatic sometimes."

Grant nodded but remained silent, unable to think of anything to say.

The Doctor turned to his apprehensive companion, readily understanding his reaction. "It's alright, Grant, you're quite safe," he said, putting a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder. "I probably should've warned you Alterrans are shape shifters. And as an Alterran, Jason tends to be full of surprises."

"There's more?" the young man groaned, thinking what he had seen was enough of a surprise already.

Jason could not help himself and laughed at this reaction. "Let's see about getting you two patched up and maybe I'll tell you a few of them."

* * *

SorRell's troops had been trying unsuccessfully to rendezvous with the Doctor. The blocked stairwells that he and his companion had found did indeed lead to the surface, just as he suspected. The Imperial Guard had planned on using them to meet him in the underground tunnels and were unprepared when they found them all blocked. There had been no seismic activity in the area since the site was shut down and no orders had been giving to have the accessways sealed.

A call went out to the Commander explaining the problem. After considering all options, SorRell gave orders to discreetly open one of the accessways. Her thinking was that the hostages might well have been sealed into the tunnels. Then she found herself wishing she had given the Doctor a communicator, as there was now no way of contacting him, and seemed every possibility that she had inadvertently sent him and his friends into very serious danger.


	38. Talk To Me

**CHAPTER 38**

"**TALK TO ME"**

Jason took his injured friends into the decontamination room where they could sit down and he could treat them properly. He had Grant use Buckley's abandoned knife to slice some of the discarded overalls into pieces while he helped the Doctor strip to the waist. He then began cleaning his friend's extensive wounds.

The Doctor was shocked when he noticed Jason was actually trembling. _Now what could've shaken him? _he wondered. "Jason, what's the matter?" he asked concernedly. Receiving no reply, he gave the Alterran a searching look, stopping him from his work by catching hold of his wrist. "Jason, talk to me. Something's obviously upset you, now what is it? Just what happened out there?"

Jason looked away and drew a deep breath, a small voice in the back of his head wishing that just once the Doctor would not push for answers. Concentrating to get control of himself, he met the Doctor's gaze steadily. "I wanted to kill them," he admitted in a quiet voice that contained every bit of his suppressed rage. "When I saw what they were doing to you and then—" He waved a hand in Grant's direction. "I lost it. I totally lost it. Smashed everything I could get hold of." Closing his eyes, he gave an angry growl, thumping a fist against the wall and putting a sizeable dent in it. "Will I _ever_ get this demon of a temper under control?"

The Doctor gave him an understanding look, but his voice carried more disapproval than he intended. "I'm afraid that's a question only you can answer."

Jason gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay calm. "Oh, thank you very much for your support and understanding, Doctor," he snapped bitterly. "It was meant as a rhetorical question. You've already made it quite clear that you won't tell me what you saw in my future."

Grant knew he could not even begin to understand what was going on. He was also taken aback when he realized that the confrontation with the mercenaries had shaken his rescuer as much as it had shaken him. This thought brought little comfort, however, as he was still very uncomfortable in the shape changing Alterran's presence. He decided to discreetly withdraw from the room. It did not go unnoticed by the others.

Shaking his head, Jason returned his attention to the Doctor. "Great. And just to make matters worse, I've managed to scare poor Grant out of his wits."

The Time Lord was looking in the direction his companion had taken. "I'm beginning to suspect he's at the beginning of his time with me. He was incredibly insecure at the start. Unfamiliar territory, alien life forms. And let's be realistic. You're true appearance can be quite a shock, even to rabble like—" He broke off when Jason gave a low growl.

"Doctor, I don't care if those barbarians thought I was the devil incarnate. They were going to _kill_ you," Jason said slowly and deliberately. "Stretch you like a rubber band until all your joints popped before moving on to breaking bones and who knows what else. And Grant was to be sliced and diced in the next room. _That_ is what set me off."

The Doctor studied him a moment before saying in an apologetic tone, "Then I thank you for saving us _and_ not killing them in the process."

Jason remained silent, giving him a dark look before returning his attention to his work. He finished cleaning the blood from the Doctor's face and side before examining the gash on the back of his head.

"Careful!" the Doctor exclaimed, flinching away. "I'm under there."

The Alterran smiled but did not reply. He looked thoughtfully at the wounds covering his friend's body before returning to his seat directly in front of him. He took hold of one of the Doctor's arms and studied the abrasions on his wrist. "I normally wouldn't consider doing this," he said mysteriously, "but with all this excess radiation, maybe…" Looking up, he said, "You keep asking me if I trust you, Doctor. Do _you_ trust _me?_"

The Doctor's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Ye-es…"

"Good. I'm not sure how this will feel."

Before the Doctor could ask what his friend was talking about, Jason was gently running his fingers over the gashes on his wrist. There was a slight tingling sensation and then, to the Doctor's amazement, his injuries started to heal over. He was so startled by this that he let out an involuntary cry, causing Jason to stop and look up. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. But you continue to astound me. When did you learn that little trick?" the fascinated Time Lord asked, exchanging an astonished look with Grant, who had returned at the sound of his cry.

"About five seconds ago," Jason replied succinctly, meeting his friend's fascinated gaze. "I have to use up all this excess energy from the conversion rush. Power to burn, as they say. I learned how to manipulate the molecular structure of inanimate objects not too long ago. Turns out it's easier than I thought. But living tissue is another matter entirely, requires a lot of energy to manipulate."

"That explains the tingling."

Jason waved the hesitant Grant over and touched his oversized coveralls, altering them to fit his slight form. "Better?" he asked mildly.

The boy nodded, throwing a nervous glance in the Doctor's direction. He had to force himself not to flinch away when the Alterran reached up to touch his face. He felt a slight tingling and realized the cuts were being healed, the pain subsiding and then disappearing. He turned and looked at himself in a mirror that was across the room. Once satisfied he had not turned green or was glowing in any way he said a quick thank you and then vanished through the door, saying something vaguely about retrieving his shoes.

The Doctor shook his head, returning his attention to Jason. "I can only assume it was you who told my respiratory by-pass system to kick in before it was actually needed. And got everything else working in the right direction so I didn't bleed to death. Care to tell me exactly how you managed that?" This time his tone left no doubt that he was clearly impressed.

Jason cleared his throat nervously. "That was more luck than skill, I think."

"A telepathic nudge?"

"More like a telepathic scream of _'please work!'_ I think the conversion rush had more to do with it than anything. We both know I'm not that good." Jason gave the Doctor a searching look. "We do _know_ that, don't we?"

"Yes, we do." The Doctor met his gaze evenly. "Jason, I have dealt with crossed timelines before, you know."

"Yes, but I haven't. Well...not my own, at any rate. I didn't think it would make me this crazy."

"I'm sorry I said anything," the Doctor sighed resignedly. Within a few minutes the Healer had healed the gashes on his friend's face and hands, carefully set and healed his broken ribs, and moved on to heal the garden of bruises that were blossoming all over his upper body. As the Doctor got dressed again, he finally asked the question that was uppermost in his mind. "Not that I don't appreciate your being here, and all that, Jason. But would you mind telling me why you're not on your way to Earth right now?"

"Actually, I'm just killing time. SorRell contacted the other planets and asked for backup troops. I told her to get all that lined up before finalizing the arrangements on my transport. They need every ship they have to shuttle troops."

The Doctor sat down again and Jason moved behind him to work on his scalp. "And how did _you_ get here, Doctor? Weren't you supposed to be meeting up with SorRell's troops in some tunnels somewhere?"

The Doctor explained about the long journey through the tunnels, the climb into the empty room and the ultimate encounter with the men whom he thought might be Gres-Fa-Raayn mercenaries.

Jason finished healing the scalp wound and began cleaning the blood from the Time Lord's hair. "What in the world are Gres-Fa-Raayn mercenaries doing here? I checked all the reactors and only this one has—er, _had_—dangerous radiation levels."

Before the Doctor could respond, Grant suddenly called out from the next room. Thinking the mercenaries had returned, the two were out the door and beside him within seconds.

"What's the matter?" the Doctor demanded.

Grant pointed to the mountain of debris. "I heard something. Over there."

The Doctor turned to Jason, who nodded in response to the unspoken question. He held up a hand for silence, turning his incredible hearing in the direction indicated. He listened a few seconds, his brow furrowed in concentration. Closing his eyes, he tried to zero in on the faint tickle of a sound. "There's something…moving," he whispered. Suddenly his eyes snapped open when he heard the unmistakable sound of a human moaning in pain. "Make that some_one_."

Needing no further prompting, the Doctor dove at the pile of debris, the Alterran moving to his side to help. "Of course, Percy!" the Time Lord exclaimed as the initial confrontation in the room returned to his memory.

"We forgot all about him," Grant said, seeing the mountain of junk in a new way.

Jason gave them a puzzled look, pushing a large section of equipment out of the way and sending a cascade of loose circuit boards in all directions. "Percy?"

The semi-conscious Percy was suddenly visible, sandwiched within the pile of metal and plastic. Jason checked him quickly before pushing the rest of the junk pile out of his way with a mighty heave, sending it to the floor with a crash. "I should've started my tantrum at this end," he remarked as he carefully lifted the limp form clear. He carried the young man into the decontamination room and gently placed him on a table that was in the center of the room.

"Will he live?" the Doctor inquired bluntly as the Healer began his examination.

"Yes. He's not as bad as he looks," Jason replied without looking up. "Banged up, mostly. He's got a mild concussion and his left forearm is fractured in a couple of places. He must've landed on it when he fell into that mess." He glanced around the room for something he could use to immobilize the arm.

"He tried to stop the others from…" Grant's voice trailed off and he gave way to an involuntary shudder.

"He's not Alterran, is he?" the Doctor asked thoughtfully. "He certainly didn't belong in that lot of barbarians."

"I'll go along with that." Meeting the Doctor's questioning gaze, Jason informed startlingly, "He's Wieonol."


	39. We're On Your Side

**CHAPTER 39**

"**WE'RE ON YOUR SIDE."**

"What?" The Doctor was incredulous and stared in amazement at the dark-skinned youth's bruised and bloodied form.

The young man stirred weakly as Jason started to clean his wounds, the pain bringing him back to his senses. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes, looking around groggily, his eyes resting on the Doctor. "Who…?" he said quietly.

Jason gave a wry smile, throwing a sideways glance in the Doctor's direction. "That's what we'd all like to know," he remarked aridly. He put his hands on the boy's shoulders to keep him still. "Don't try to move just yet. You've had a bad bang on the head and your arm is broken." His patient nodded weakly. "My name's Jason, by the way. The Doctor tells me yours is Percy."

"No, that's just what the others called me. My name's Pr'Ce'el."

Jason rolled his eyes. "What is it with the Wieonol and apostrophes?" he moaned.

Pr'Ce'el caught his breath, his eyes growing wide. He immediately tried to rise, only to fall back in pain.

"There's no need to panic, we're on your side," the Doctor stated gently. His face darkened as he added, "Your _people's_ side, that is."

Understanding his misgivings, the injured Wieonol was suddenly embarrassed. "I thought I could do it, mix in and find our people. I didn't realize…" His voice trailed off and he gave way to an involuntary shudder.

"Blending in takes a bit more than a hair cut and change of clothes to accomplish," the Doctor remarked sagely.

Before the youth could reply there was a loud crackle of static in the air followed by SorRell's voice. "SorRell to HRH, respond please."

Jason jumped and straightened, searching his pockets. "I forgot all about that thing," he muttered, pulling out the communicator. "HRH here. Go ahead, Commander."

"Your royal highness, I thought you should know that we've run into a serious delay in our rendezvous with the Doctor," the Commander informed, explaining about the blocked tunnels and what was being planned for them and why.

Upon hearing this, Pr'Ce'el interrupted, telling Jason that the hostages were further beyond the tunnels and were being held in an enormous subterranean cavern in the heart of the mountain. The tunnels had been sealed to cut off surface access, leaving the power plant as the only way in or out.

"No wonder Buckley was so surprised when we said we'd been in the tunnels," the Doctor said to no one in particular.

Jason relayed the new information to SorRell, assuring her that the Doctor and his companion were safe. He also told her of the presence of the Gres-Fa-Raayn mercenaries. "I don't know how many there are yet," he said calmly, "but the ones we've encountered so far are…_extremely _unpleasant."

SorRell's response was instantaneous. "Sir, are you in danger?"

"No, Commander. Not immediately, at any rate."

"What's your present location?"

"I'm in the decontamination room of Reactor Three. The Doctor and Grant are with me. And Pr'C'el—the Wieonol who was good enough to give us the location of his people—is in need of medical attention. The other's are still in the TARDIS with orders to wait for your troops."

The Commander acknowledged. "For your own safety, sir, please stay where you are. We'll come for you as soon as we secure the building. SorRell out."

"Acknowledged, Commander. HRH out." As he was putting the communicator away, Jason noticed an awestruck expression on Grant's face and rolled his eyes. "Go ahead, say it," he said with a sigh.

"You're _Royalty_?" Grant gasped.

"Oh it's much worse than that," the Alterran replied. "I'm—" He broke off and scowled, holding up a hand for silence. "I think I heard something." He went quickly to the door and vanished into the next room.

"Wait here," the Doctor instructed sternly and followed, finding Jason at the main door with his ear at the crack. "Well?" he whispered.

Jason shook his head. "I'm going to have to take a look. I think those thugs are coming back. They're not the quietest group in the world. But they could be a level up, down or somewhere that carries sound, I'm not sure."

"You'd better have a look then," the Doctor agreed.

The Alterran gave a knowing smile. "Be right back." With that he immediately changed into a vapor cloud and slipped through the crack under the door.

"Just stay away from the ventilation system!" the Time Lord called after him.

* * *

After fleeing from Jason's presence, the mercenaries had gone straight to the command center to regroup. Buckley put out a call for the nearest team of men to assist as backup and then went to the weapons store, issuing laser rifles to replace the ineffective hand weapons.

The backup troops were dubious to say the least when they were apprised of the situation. Had the story come from Delaney instead of their commanding officer, they would have said it was the result of too much drinking and not enough thinking.

The commanding officer took stock of his backup troops and sighed heavily, wishing for the hundredth time that he had been given a squad of Gres-Fa-Raayn regulars rather than this pack of misfits. They were good as guard dogs, but when it came to actual combat they were worse than useless.

"Alright, men, let's do a little monster hunting." Buckley turned to lead the way only to realize that no one was following. He rounded angrily on the men. "Come on, you pack of half wits!" He raised his weapon in an obvious threat and the men fell in, this time ahead of him, reluctantly marching toward Reactor Room Three. The closer they got, the more nervous everyone got, especially those who had already seen what lay in wait for them. Delaney's palms started to sweat profusely and, as they were climbing a set of metal stairs, he dropped the weapon he was carrying, which was the sound that Jason had heard.

No one saw the cloud of mist hovering near the ceiling as they moved through the building. Jason, however, saw more than enough. He also knew he needed to buy some time and opened a nearby valve. It had been closed for a very long time and made an eerie squeak as it was turned. Below him, the men stopped in their tracks, all but Buckley being seriously spooked.

"What was that?" Tommie gasped, squinting into the gloom. "It's that thing! It's got out!"

"Don't be an idiot," Buckley admonished sharply, unable to resist the urge to take a nervous glance around the room.

Delighted his diversion had worked, Jason opened a few more valves, rattling a pipe or two before returning to the reactor room at speed.


	40. Modified Monster

AUTHOR'S NOTE: There are a few stand alone scenes that I really liked doing. This is one of my favorites. I tried to image the most off the wall scenario possible to solve this problem. It still makes me laugh. I hope it does you, too.

* * *

**CHAPTER 40**

**MODIFIED MONSTER**

"We've got trouble," Jason announced without preamble. He returned to his human form and headed quickly toward the decontamination room. "Not only are those thugs coming back, they're bringing a few more friends _and_ laser rifles."

"I didn't think those were a problem for you," the Doctor remarked, having to hurry to keep up as the Alterran crossed the room.

"They're not. For_ me_," Jason said pointedly. He turned his gaze to the injured Pr'Ce'el and Grant, who was standing beside him. "I can't protect all of you from that many at once. And I don't think my monster act will impress their commanding officer now that he has that kind of firepower. From the sound of him, he might actually have some military experience." Turning to Grant, he said in way of explanation, "Your friend with the knife."

"Buckley," the young man replied darkly.

"Ah, yes," the Doctor said thoughtfully. "Lead thug with military experience. An excellent description."

"A Shoot-The-Monster-As-A-Trophy type?" Jason asked pointedly.

"Yes," Pr'Ce'el replied as firmly as he could.

"Great."

"Cee and I were talking while you were gone…" Grant began slowly.

The Doctor gave him a puzzled look. "Cee?" He cut himself off and waved a hand in the air. "Never mind go on."

"Apparently the Gres-Fa-Raayn regulars are the ones actually guarding the hostages and the mercenaries are here to keep out trespassers. Only this Buckley character is one of the regulars."

"Oh, this just gets better and better," Jason moaned, rolling his eyes and throwing his hands up. He started to actively search the room for something to use as a splint for Pr'Ce'el's broken arm. "I wish I hadn't used up all that excess energy. I could repair that arm in no time."

The Doctor stood thoughtfully, his eyes fixed on the floor. He put his hands in his coat pockets and scowled, pulling out a blister card that he had acquired on Earth at one point in his wanderings. He stared at it a moment and inspiration struck, a smile coming to his face as. "Yes! A modified monster."

"Modified?" Grant and Jason said in unison, turning to him in bewilderment.

"With the proper setting…"

"Doctor, if I didn't know better I'd say you were part Alterran," Jason quipped, giving his friend a suspicious sideways look "What ridiculously elaborate and incredibly brilliant deception have you cooked up for me now?"

The Doctor received this compliment with a broad smile. He held up the blister card, displaying its contents and ghoulish advertising photo. "Tell me, Jason, how familiar are you with the Earth holiday Halloween?"

* * *

After badgering his men for more than half an hour, the irritated Buckley finally had to resort to threats, stating that he would shoot any man who did not continue to the reactor room. When they finally arrived, they found the door locked, just as they had left it. The metal wall, however, had several large dents in it.

"Well go on, open it!" the officer snarled at Delaney. "The rest of you, get those weapons ready."

Delaney cautiously opened the door, finding the room a bit more disheveled than when they had left it, but otherwise unchanged. It was not until they moved on to the next room that they found anything amiss. The connecting door was closed and Delaney tried to push it open. "It's jammed," he announced, pushing with as little effort as possible.

"Go on, put your back into it!" Buckley snarled.

Delaney did, discovering, somewhat to his relief, that it still would not budge. His commander motioned Tommie over to help and the two heaved at the door a few times before it finally popped open. They took one look inside the room and gave a scream of unbridled terror, backing away in horror. "They're dead," Delaney gasped. "I told you it killed 'em. I'm gettin' outta here."

"You're not going anywhere! Goddess, you'd think you'd never seen a bit of blood before." Buckley went cautiously to the door and looked in. His mouth dropped open, his eyes grew wide and his blood ran cold. The room beyond was filled, floor to ceiling, with what looked like an enormous spider's web. Nearest to the door was Grant, who was suspended some three metres off of the ground, hanging in the web like a grotesque parody of a scarecrow, his eyes wide and staring, his skin a ghastly shade of gray. His head was lolling to one side, and he had what looked like two large puncture wounds in his neck. Further within the room and even higher in the air was the Doctor. He was suspended in the same manner as Grant, two puncture wounds also visible on his neck.

As he took in this scene, Buckley was hit with the sudden, horrifying realization that his former prisoners were still alive but paralyzed. Their eyes were looking pleadingly at him, but they were apparently unable to move, their bodies only managing to twitch spasmodically, fingers groping in his directions. There was a low moan close by and he turned, seeing Pr'Ce'el several metres in front of him. The boy had been attached to the floor with the same web-like material that filled the room. He was either in shock or dazed and lay moaning quietly, his eyes rolling in his head. As far as Buckley could tell, he was battered but otherwise unharmed, his olive skin still normal in color.

The officer readied his weapon and crouched down, moving sideways through the door, his back pressed against the wall. He did a quick visual sweep of the room, seeing no monster anywhere in sight. The door to the decontamination room was open and he could see a greenish glow inside. Thinking this meant the creature was there, Buckley partially rose, taking a few cautious steps toward Percy. It was at that moment Jason finally made his appearance.

After hearing Grant's description of himself when he first appeared, the Alterran had chose to look even more like a mutant spider, giving himself sixteen legs instead of the standard eight. Since another conversion rush was out of the question, he had colored his skin a bright neon green, going on to align his sapphire blue crystalline sensors into rows like eyes.

The moment the disguised Alterran appeared over the helpless Wieonol, the boy gave what Jason considered an absolutely magnificent scream of terror. He hovered a moment for affect before abruptly dropping next to him. He made certain Buckley saw him bearing two enormous fangs before plunging them into his captive's neck.

Pr'Ce'el suddenly started to struggle and Jason realized with a jolt that he had actually frightened him with his theatrics. "Settle down, Cee," he whispered reassuringly. "I'm supposed to be paralyzing you."

The boy gave quiet sob of relief. "I forgot," he whispered back.

"That's alright. Don't try to stop shaking, start twitching. That'll totally freak them out."

Pr'Ce'el made an impressive gurgling sound and started twitching as instructed. Just as Jason suspected, it completely unnerved his already terrified audience. Delaney and his cohorts wasted no time fleeing after seeing what they felt lay in store for them.

"By the Goddess!" Buckley exclaimed, losing his balance and falling onto his backside. He realized too late that he had attracted the creature's attention as it turned towards him, red gore dripping from its fangs. He flinched as its eyes locked onto him and glowed fiercely, a loud, angry screech escaping it.

The officer turned to order his men to fire just in time to see the far door slamming shut. He fumbled with his own weapon, only to have it knocked from his hands. He gave a scream of absolute terror and fainted dead away, much to Jason's chagrin.

"Oh man, I didn't even get to say Boo!" the Alterran moaned, looking down at the unconscious man. With a sigh, he quickly bound the man's hands behind his back.

"After that little performance," the Doctor observed calmly, "I'd be surprised if anyone comes anywhere near this section of the building again."

"It was hardly a one man show," Jason replied, moving towards the web. He reached out and touched it with several of his spider-like legs. "I'm going to lower the web." So saying, the whole room seemed to shimmer as he prepared to carefully lower the Doctor and his companion back to the floor. He felt a tremor and looked up, seeing Grant looking apprehensively at his glowing surroundings. "Grant, hold very still. I don't want to drop you."

As soon as his friends were back on solid ground, the web vanished and Jason returned to his human form. He crossed to the supine Pr'Ce'el and gave him an admiring look. "And you! You were absolutely great." He got down beside him, reabsorbing the web attaching him to the floor before helping him to sit up. "And you didn't think you could do it," he chided mildly.

Pr'Ce'el gave him a self-conscious smile but did not look him in the eye.

"I really _did_ scare you, didn't I?" the Alterran said in astonishment.

"You do take some getting used to," Grant injected knowingly as he crossed to them. "And um…there's that." He pointed to his own face in way of explanation.

Jason reached up, touching his hand to his mouth. It came away red. "Oh, fake blood," he laughed, spitting out the remains of the capsule and rubbing the rest of the offending stain from his mouth with the cuff of his sleeve. "I'll have you know this stuff tastes awful!"

"Now what?" Grant asked, touching the red globs of makeup on his own neck. "I can't see you idly waiting until the cavalry arrives, Doctor."

The Doctor heaved a heavy sigh. "Well, we can't exactly go back to the TARDIS, can we? I don't think Cee is in any condition to make the trek through the tunnels—"

"Yes, I am," the youth replied firmly.

"—and our friend Buckley isn't going anywhere, either. And then there's the other thing."

"What other thing?" Grant wanted to know.

After a long pause, the Doctor admitted, "I have no idea where the entrance to the tunnel is."

There was a stunned silence after which Jason burst out laughing, breaking the sudden tension that had been building in the room. He crossed to the unconscious Buckley and looked down at him. "You know, it occurs to me that our friend here may be able to provide us with that information, along with the exact location of the hostages." Turning to the Doctor, he grinned devilishly. "With the proper incentive, of course."


	41. Incentive

**CHAPTER 41**

**INCENTIVE**

Jason contacted SorRell, informing her of the capture of the Gres-Fa-Raayn officer. He went on to tell of their plans to extract the precise location of the hostages from him, which would make implementing the Doctor's plan that much easier.

"Protocol forces me to protest your being personally involved in this, highness," SorRell replied, her voice sounding more admiring than reproachful.

"Your admonition is noted, Commander," Jason replied blandly. "What's the status on your clearing of the stairwell?"

"Uncertain without knowing their exact depth. We'll keep you informed."

"No, I'd like to maintain radio silence until we're ready."

There was a short pause as SorRell lodged her non-verbal protest. "Acknowledged. Be careful, sir. SorRell out."

"Thank you, Commander, I will. HRH out."

* * *

Jason explained his idea to extract the information from the captive Gres-Fa-Raayn officer. The Doctor could not help but admire the audacity of it, going on to make specific suggestions to assure its success.

As Jason placed the unconscious Buckley at the end of the corridor leading away from the reactors, the Doctor went over the plan one more time so everyone was clear on what they were to do.

"Jason, a suggestion," the Doctor said thoughtfully as his friend returned to his mutant spider persona. "Why not wrap him up a bit? More convincing, don't you think?"

"Agreed," the Alterran replied. He produced a thick sheet of webbing and wrapped it around the man's body, trapping his arms and already bound hands. He went on to wrap another sheet around his legs. When his captive stirred, he hurriedly took up his position further on down the corridor.

Buckley opened his eyes to see three ghastly gray faces looking down at him. He let out a cry of alarm and tried to squirm away, discovering at the same time that he could not move, his body trapped in a cocoon of webbing. Remembering what had happened in the room, he looked around wildly, seeing Jason apparently pacing several metres away.

"It wants the others," Pr'Ce'el said dully, causing his former commanding officer to jump.

"Others?" Buckley gave him a stricken look, thinking he meant the other mercenaries.

Pr'Ce'el was now sported the same apparent puncture wound in his neck as the Doctor and Grant, his dark skin a deathly shade of gray. His broken arm was secured across his abdomen, disguised by the same type of webbing that encased the officer. It was placed in such a way that it appeared as though he were simply wearing a shawl of the webbing that was draped over his arms.

Despite his discomfort at being at close quarters with the disguised Jason, Pr'Ce'el had agreed to act as the group's spokesman since he was more likely to be believed by Buckley. He nodded toward the pacing Alterran. "The Heladin wants the others. The hostages."

"_What?_" The captive officer was about to demand further information when Jason scuttled closer to the trapped figure, making some rather impressive clicking noises.

"The Heladin knows about the hostages," the Doctor chimed in dully, stepping in before Pr'Ce'el started to panic. "It wants them for its nest."

Buckley's eyes grew so wide they practically popped out of his head. Looking fearfully at the hovering Alterran, he asked, "How do you know all this?"

"It told us." Now Grant took his turn unnerving the Gres-Fa-Raayn. He moved in closer, giving his voice a musical quality. "We hear its voice…in our minds. It speaks to us. It speaks through _him_." He slowly turned his gaze to Pr'Ce'el, who took his cue magnificently.

"Surrender the hostages you hold for your masters and you will live, creature called Buckley." Pr'Ce'el's face turned cold and angry. "Refuse and you die."

Faced with this lack of a choice, Buckley agreed. In response Jason made another impressive succession of clicks and the Doctor and his companion seemed to come out of their trance at once. "Well done, Mr. Buckley," the Time Lord said in a grateful tone. He released the baffled man's legs from the cocoon of webbing with the knife he had used to threaten Grant. He did not release his arms, however, appearing to respond to a command from the agitated Alterran.

"What did I do?" Buckley wanted to know as he was lifted from the floor.

It was Grant who replied. "It's letting us go in exchange for whoever these hostages are." He tried to sound as pleased as possible at the bargain.

Looking nervously at the pacing Alterran, Buckley whispered, "Cut me loose and we can all make a break for it."

The Doctor shook his head. "You haven't seen how fast that thing can move. It has us beaten by fourteen legs." He nodded down the hall. "Best to just give it what it wants and beat a hasty retreat."

"And you're sure it'll let us go?"

"That's the impression I get in my mind, yes."

Buckley nodded and hesitantly started down the corridor, the Doctor and Grant on either side of him, Pr'Ce'el following at a slight distance with Jason. "You called it a Heladin. That's the name of this system," the Gres-Fa-Raayn officer said in a low voice.

Grant nodded, keeping his voice equally low. "It learned the name from us and decided it liked it." He threw a quick glance back at Jason, inwardly feeling sorry for Pr'Ce'el at having to be at such close quarters with the monstrous creature that his own words had created.

The Alterran was purposely keeping his distance. In this way he and Pr'Ce'el could communicate without Buckley overhearing them. It also allowed him to watch for the Doctor's hand signals. The Time Lord was walking with his hands behind his back and after a few minutes he wiggled his fingers. "There's the signal," Jason announced softly. "He's learned enough for the time being. Order them to stop talking—No, tell them…to cease all communication. That sounds suitably alien."

Pr'Ce'el was glad he was behind the others and hidden in the shadows as a broad smile came to his face, the irony of Jason's remark striking him as funny. He fought to stifle a laugh, and was only partially successful. It ended up coming out in a choke.

The Doctor spun around, sizing up the situation in a flash. He threw up his hands, covering for the young man in an inspired instant. "No, Percy, don't fight!" he said pleadingly. "You know what happens if you fight."

Buckley leaned close to Grant's ear. "What happens?" he asked in a whisper.

Knowing his companion had no clue how to respond, the Doctor turned back sharply. "We _all_ get punished, that's what happens," he informed harshly.

By this time Pr'Ce'el had sufficiently gotten control of himself to say, "You will cease all communication." He paused as Jason whispered something else and then said, "Your concern for this host has been noted. Continue."

"Host?" the captive Buckley repeated in distaste.

Grant shuddered. "For the…eggs."

The Doctor turned Buckley around and said firmly, "Best do as it says. Let's go."

Seeing no way out of the present situation, the officer did as he was told. He hoped he might be able to find a way of escaping, perhaps lead the group into a particularly dark area of the building, or maybe lose them in some way. Unfortunately, it was soon very apparent that the creature calling itself a Heladin not only had a firm grip on the minds of the others, but also had some very impressive abilities, such as being able to see in the dark.

After a not so long walk they came upon the room where the Doctor and Grant had emerged from the tunnels. Buckley nodded at the opening. "You have to go down there."

"We've already been down there," the Doctor pointed out coldly. "It's completely deserted."

After whispering what to say, Jason made several angry clicks and hisses and Pr'Ce'el made his translation. "You have lied, creature called Buckley!" he stated angrily. He waved his free hand and the Doctor and Grant suddenly returned to their supposedly controlled state. They stiffened visibly, their faces blank, their eyes glassy and staring. "There are no others."

The terrified Buckley tried to back away but ended up tripping over his own feet. He fell onto his back and struggled unsuccessfully to free his arms from their cocoon.

"You have lied!" Grant chimed in, coming to stand over the terrified man. "Now you too will be a host."

"No!" came the horrified response.

Despite the fact that Grant's threat was not part of the original plan, Jason made the most of the situation, descending slowly and holding the struggling man down with all of his appendages.

"No! They're down there, I swear it!" Buckley screamed as his head was pushed to one side and his shirt pulled open, exposing his throat. "No, please, I'm telling the truth!"

"You are telling a lie to save yourself," the Doctor retorted. "The tunnels are empty."

"The entrance is hidden! Listen to me!" The squirming man started talking for his life. He gave the secret location of the hostages, where the hidden entrance was located and the exact procedure needed to open it. "They're all down there," he said enthusiastically. "All for you."

Jason stayed where he was, making as though he were thinking this over.

"If we follow these directions and no one is there…" the Doctor began threateningly.

Thinking an added incentive might be needed for this particular threat, Jason gave a low hiss, exposing his enormous fangs menacingly.

"They're there!" Buckley assured. He tried to turn but his head was forced back to the ground, a small whimper escaping him. "There are three hundred eighty-two prisoners, forty-five troops and twenty irregulars on the surface. The tunnel's the only way in or out."

After an agonizing pause the Doctor gave a satisfied grunt. He pulled a spotted handkerchief from his top pocket and started wiping the makeup from his face. "I think we have everything we need," he said in a normal tone.

"And then some," Jason replied, releasing his grip and scuttling back.

"It can talk!" the astonished officer gasped. Grant started to giggle, causing Buckley to frown. "I don't understand."

"You, Mr. Buckley, have been royally had," the Doctor replied matter of factly.

Now totally confused, Buckley looked from one to another. It was Jason who really got his attention. One second the enormous creature was standing over him and the next a dark haired man in his mid-thirties was kneeling beside him. The Alterran opened his eyes wide and quietly said, "Boo." To his astonishment, the man fainted dead away a second time. Jason raised his eyebrows and looked up.

"Well, at least you got to say it this time," the Time Lord remarked dryly.

Nodding, Jason rose to his feet and pulled out his communicator, relaying all they had learned to Commander SorRell. He signed off and turned to the others, seeing a disapproving look on the Doctor's face. "What's wrong now?"

"You rather enjoyed all that monster business, didn't you?"

Jason met his accusing gaze steadily. "Yes I did, actually. And before you start lecturing me about going too far, _don't._ I gave a bully a well deserved bloody nose, metaphorically speaking." He threw a quick glance in Grant's direction. "I only wish I could've done more. I didn't kill him. In fact, I didn't even hurt him. I just scared the hell out of him."

"_That_ you most certainly did," the Doctor replied sharply. "With a vengeance."

Jason stiffened visibly and glared at the Doctor in silence for several seconds. He turned and crossed to the shaft leading to the tunnels, leaning in to look down toward the bottom. "Wow, that's a long way down," he observed quietly. "Oh well, best foot forward." Without so much as a backward glance he jumped in feet first, vanishing from sight.

"Jason!" Grant gasped, exchanging a horrified look with Pr'Ce'el.

The Doctor merely sighed heavily. "Jason is Alterran. A shape shifter," he reminded loudly as the youths ran toward the shaft. "He's gone to see how best to get everyone down the shaft."

"How can you be so sure?" Grant demanded, looking down into the darkness.

"Because I've known him a very long time. Right now, he's mad at himself for going over the top and me for pointing it out. He'll be alright when he gets back." The Doctor smiled reassuringly but to himself he added quietly, "I hope."


	42. Time To Leave

**CHAPTER 42**

**TIME TO LEAVE**

Nearly half an hour after vanishing into the darkness Jason reappeared at the top of the ladder all smiles, his face flushed. As the Doctor predicted, he had pulled himself together while examining the vertical drop and tunnel system below. "That's quite a climb," he remarked as he pulled himself over the edge.

"Don't I know it," the Doctor replied. "From your smug expression I can only assume you've come up with an alternative."

Jason grinned, his eyes sparkling. "Well, actually…" He paused dramatically. "Yeah."

Within half an hour the group was safely at the bottom of the shaft. Jason was able to quickly transport everyone, one at a time, by returning to his true form and utilizing his ability to levitate, gently floating down the long shaft, his tendrils extended to the four walls for stability. Each of his friends had a different reaction to the journey, the Doctor seeming to enjoy it the most.

Grant and Pr'Ce'el had taken advantage of the time while waiting their turn and removed as much of the makeup from their faces as they could. Buckley had returned to his senses moments after reaching the bottom of the shaft. He shrank back when the Alterran deposited the last of the group and then moved in to lash him to the ladder. The officer stared at this newest monster as his feet were bound. It was not until Jason returned to his human form that the officer finally found his voice. "Wh…what…_are_ you?" he asked in a quiet awestruck tone.

Jason gave him a look of utter revulsion. "I'm your worst nightmare," he replied succinctly, rising to his feet. "I assume you know about the Earth summit that's supposed to determine the sovereignty of this planet."

The Gres-Fa-Raayn officer blinked, thrown by this apparent non sequitur. "Of course, that's why I'm…" His voice trailed off as he made a sudden realization. "That's what you were after all along, isn't it? The location of the hostages!"

"Actually, that's what _they_ were after," Jason replied, nodding in his friends' direction.

"_Who are you?_"

Jason drew himself to his full height. Then he did something that he did so rarely that it actually surprised the Doctor. He took on his Royal appearance; his clothing changing to elaborate regal finery, complete with floor length cape, gold collar of rank and gold circlet on his brow. "I am His Most Royal Highness Crown Prince Jason of Tel-Shye," he announced proudly. "I am also Ambassador Krystovan, leader of the summit." With that he turned on his heel and stalked off into the darkness, his cape billowing dramatically behind him. The bewildered Pr'Ce'el exchanged a puzzled look with Grant before hurrying after him.

Buckley gave the Doctor and his companion a questioning look. Finding his voice at last, he said, "He's lying. The Ambassador's dead. I got the report."

"I would hazard a guess that the report stated the Ambassador's ship vanished into a wormhole," the Time Lord replied, receiving a stunned look in reply. "He _is_ the Ambassador. He's also the Grandnephew of the Lord Emperor of Alterrous."

"Wh…? He's _Alterran!_" Suddenly all the pieces fell into place and the captive officer wanted to kick himself for not having realized sooner. "They're shape shifters!"

"You noticed that, did you? Must be why you're an officer," Grant remarked sarcastically. "Come on, Doctor, we're being left behind." He turned and hurried after the others.

"Wait a minute! What about me?" Buckley called out as the Doctor made to follow.

"Oh, don't be precious, Buckley," the Doctor moaned wearily. "Someone will be along to collect you. There's a garrison or two of Alterran Imperial Guards somewhere about. I'm sure they'll find you—eventually."

"Eventually! You can't just leave me here!"

"Can't I?" So saying the Time Lord strode into the darkness, leaving the officer protesting loudly behind him.

* * *

Jason stopped at the first junction in the tunnels and waited for the others to catch up. Pr'Ce'el arrived a moment later and came up beside him. Uncertain what to do next, the boy kept his eyes fixed down the tunnel, shifting from foot to foot as he nervously watched for the others.

"How's the arm, Cee?" Jason asked suddenly.

The young man actually jumped. He put his good arm protectively over his swaddled broken one. "It hurts," he replied hesitantly.

Jason nodded sagely. "As soon as we get back to the TARDIS I'll do something about that." The frightened look he received in reply made him laugh. "My dear, Pr'Ce'el, I am a Healer, first and foremost. I only do monsters as a sideline."

Before Pr'Ce'el could respond Grant suddenly appeared out of the darkness. He skidded to a halt when he saw the two had stopped. Jason glanced in his direction and then down at himself. "I'm going to change into something a little less ostentatious," he warned. "Don't either of you freak out on me, okay?"

Pr'Ce'el's expression of uncertainty did not change. "Is it true?" he asked quietly. "What you told Buckley?"

"About what?" Jason asked, his body shimmering as his clothes changed back to their previous casual state.

"Are you _really_ Ambassador Krystovan?"

"He most certainly is," boomed the Doctor's voice from behind them.

"You took your time," the Alterran shot back smoothly.

The Doctor gave him a glowing smile. "Taking one's time is a Time Lord's prerogative," he quipped. "Now, let's see about getting you to Earth, shall we? I believe you have a summit to oversee." Not even breaking stride, he continued on into the gloom ahead of them.

Jason gave Grant a long-suffering look and sighed. "I swear he gets worse instead of better with each regeneration."

"I heard that!" the Doctor called back.

* * *

After Jason's last communication, Commander SorRell joined the unit clearing the blocked stairwell. The moment they broke through she contacted those on the surface and was pleased to hear reinforcements from the other garrisons had started to arrive. Her Lieutenant gave her a quick run down of the number of troops and their commanding officers.

SorRell gave the order to implement the plan they had worked out prior to her departure, going on to tell Torr what had been happening in the now not-so abandoned nuclear facility. She went on to order the Lieutenant to organize a complete search of the building to locate and arrest the mercenaries within.

Lieutenant Torr was standing over his desk, talking into the microphone and hurriedly typing commands into his computer at the same time. He looked as though he were about to run out the door as soon as he finished. "Do we know what we're up against, sir? Or how many?"

"Prince Jason was able to do some very impressive recon for us," she replied. "There are forty-five Gres-Fa-Raayn regulars guarding the hostages and about twenty unpleasant mercenaries in the building itself."

"Were those his exact words, sir?"

"Actually, Lieutenant, his exact words were _extremely_ unpleasant."

Torr stiffened visibly upon hearing this. In the language of the Alterran military, extreme unpleasant translated to extremely violent. "Anything else I should know, sir?"

SorRell gave a wry smile before explaining the Prince's unorthodox method of extracting the information, which he had relayed while investigating the vertical drop into the tunnels. The Commander went on to suggest that the personnel searching the building utilize it. After all, this was the kind of deception that many of them dreamed all their lives of doing. "His highness told me he wasn't a stickler for the rules but I never expected him to prove it so dramatically."

The animated Lieutenant Torr stopped dead as the story came over the radio and he sat down, the stunned expression on his face changing to one of fascination. "Just who do you want to participate this little…um, theatrical road show?"

"I'll leave that to you, Torr. I know a few of our own people who have an equal flare for the dramatic. If you need others, contact the other commanders and see who they have that fits the bill, so to speak." Pausing, she added, "You'll be leading the search yourself, I assume."

Lieutenant Torr broke into a broad smile. "You know me too well, sir," he replied. "I'll get on this immediately."

"Remember to delegate, Lieutenant," SorRell suggested. "I don't want my best officer burning himself out on this one. SorRell Out."

"Noted, Commander. I'll be in touch. Command Center out."


	43. To Earth

**CHAPTER 43**

**To Earth**

By the time the group reached the TARDIS, the Doctor was carrying the injured Pr'Ce'el. l'X'el was in the console room when they arrived and was stunned by the changes that had occurred in just a few short hours. Only Jason, who wasn't even supposed to be there, appeared unchanged. The Doctor had what looked like bloodstains all over his clothes; Grant had changed into a set of coveralls, and they had an injured stranger with them who, by the way he was dressed could only be an injured mercenary. To l'X'el's surprised he learned Pr'Ce'el was actually one of his own people.

"Come on, you two," Jason said, waving at the Wieonol youths as he crossed to the inner door. "Sickbay. Now." He held the door open for the boys who were already engaged in an animated conversation about their separate adventures. He exchanged a long-suffering look with the Doctor, rolled his eyes and took a step to follow only to stop. He gave Grant a look that was so piercing it caused the boy to stiffen visibly and take a small step back. "If I don't see you again, Grant," Jason said mildly, "it's been a pleasure meeting you." So saying he turned and vanished though the door.

Grant blinked, turning a questioning look in the Doctor's direction.

"I think he's afraid we're going to be playing musical companions as soon as we dematerialize," the Doctor explained as he set the coordinates.

Grant was uncertain how he should take this and afraid to ask for an explanation. "We never did meet up with the Imperial Guard," he pointed out, hoping to delay the inevitable.

"I think we can leave the implementation of everything to SorRell now that she has all the facts—and the element of surprise." He was about to switch off the scanner when he saw the Alterran Imperial Guard enter the room outside. "Ah! Moot point. Looks like some of SorRell's people have finally made it. I'll just have a quick chat before we leave. Let her know I'm taking Jason to Earth myself."

"Okay. While you're doing that, I'm going to get cleaned up," Grant said, wiping more makeup from his neck. "Even if I don't end up coming along, I could still do with a long bath."

A look of concern creased the Doctor's face as his companion vanished through the interior door. He was admittedly uncomfortable when it came to emotional displays, something Grant may or may not be aware of at the point in time in which he had been plucked. Since this had been in his own past, the Time Lord was keenly aware of the fact that Grant had had a difficult time adjusting to life in the TARDIS. He needed to talk to someone with similar experiences. Fortunately the right person for the job was currently on his way to the sickbay.

* * *

Jason checked on K'ell'k's progress and was pleased when the boy told him he was hungry. "Well, that's a good sign," the Healer said happily. "I've never met a teenager yet who wasn't hungry most of the time. You'll have to wait just a bit, though. I have another patient to deal with." He turned to Pr'Ce'el and motioned that he follow, leading him into the treatment room and indicating that he take a seat on an examining table.

l'X'el followed and stood watching at the door. He was puzzled by his new friend's obvious discomfort in the Alterran's presence. Jason looked up and waved him in. "I'm afraid I unnerved Cee a bit out there," he said as he removed the makeshift wrapping from the boy's injured arm. "I was forced to transmute a few times, and one form in particular was purposely scary. Which didn't help, did it, Cee?"

To Pr'Ce'el's surprise, l'X'el reacted with excitement. "Really? What did it look like?"

"You _know_ about that?" the amazed Pr'Ce'el gasped. He gave a cry of pain when Jason moved his arm away from his body.

"Sorry," the Healer said quickly. He cut the sleeve of the uniform, exposing the boy's swollen arm. "I have to set your arm. It's going to hurt, but it won't last long." Before the boy could respond one way or the other, Jason had taken hold of his arm, aligned the bones, and immobilized it in what looked like a sheet of clear plastic. He had moved so quickly that the youth barely had the chance to cry out. "There you are. Done," he announced.

Pr'Ce'el blinked, turning to the equally amazed l'X'el. "That's it?"

"Except for the sling, yes," the Healer replied. "The cast isn't plastic; it's an organic material that will be absorbed into your system as your bones heal. By the time it's completely gone, you'll be good as new."

"Wow," the youth replied, looking at his arm again.

"Oh! And you might want a pain killer, but other than that, you're arm just needs to heal." He moved to check his scalp. "You had a bad knock on the head, but not as bad as Kay. In my professional opinion, you need to get cleaned up, eat something and then get a good night's rest." Looking up, he added, "That goes for you and your brother too, Lix."

l'X'el responded with a smile.

Jason helped the injured Pr'Ce'el to change into something less official. He then fed his Wieonol charges and installed l'X'el and Pr'Ce'el in one of the rooms in the sickbay. He doubted they would get much sleep, however, as they were much too interested in finding out about one another. "Okay, look," he said firmly as he was leaving. "If you two are going to sit in here and talk for several hours, I don't have a problem with that. Just make sure you don't get Kay involved. He still needs a lot of rest and as little excitement as possible." He looked pointedly at l'X'el. "Can I rely on you to do that?"

"Yes," the youth replied quickly.

"You can rely on us both, Mr. Ambassador," Pr'Ce'el added.

Jason gave him an amused smile. "Cee, my name is Jason. I'd rather you called me that." To his delight, the ever serious Pr'Ce'el actually laughed. _Finally! _he thought.

* * *

Jason found the Doctor alone in the console room and gave him a run down of their Wieonol passengers' status. "I think we have the makings of a first class slumber party going on back there," he remarked dryly. "I wouldn't be surprised to find a pillow fight breaking out once Kay is back on his feet."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "SorRell finally made it to our rendezvous. I let her know where our friend Buckley is, not that he'll be all that happy when they come to collect him." He went on to relay the Commander's plans and the status of the operation so far.

Jason seemed uncertain. "If you'll pardon the pun, I think we've created a monster."

"Yes, we do seem to have that affect, don't we?" The Doctor's hand hovered over the dematerialization switch. "Now, it's on to Earth, your summit, and getting your end of things sorted out. Yes?" He noticed his friend stiffen slightly at the mention of the summit, his face clouding over briefly. It was obvious Jason was not looking forward to returning to his official position as Imperial Ambassador, as it meant having to conceal the flamboyant and mischievous part of his personality, something that was always difficult for him to do. At the same time, they both dreaded what might happen when the TARDIS dematerialized.

"Let's get it over with," Jason sighed, taking hold of the console. He received a nod of agreement from the Doctor, who hit the dematerialization switch at the same time. The time rotor lit up and began its rhythmic rising and falling.

Five seconds passed.

Ten seconds.

Thirty.

Nothing.

The Doctor and Jason exchanged an astonished look.

"Nothing happened," Jason whispered, hesitantly releasing his grip on the console.

Never one to jump to conclusions, the Time Lord scrutinized the console. "Perhaps you transferred enough chronons to Grant to stabilize the timeline for the present," he theorized.

"Me? Doctor, I touched Mel before all this happened. That didn't seem to help her."

"You didn't have prolonged contact."

"I barely touched Grant when I healed his cuts."

"_And_ did such a fine tailoring job on those coveralls," the Doctor reminded. "You probably swaddled him in chronons when you did that."

Jason closed his eyes and groaned. "Well, there's only one way to find out.

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Since you're going anyway, I wonder if I might ask a favor."

"Anything. You know that."

"You might not think so when you hear what I have to ask."

Jason's eyes narrowed suspiciously and he gave his friend a sideways look. "Why? What odious task do you have in mind for me now?"

After a long pause, the Doctor said, "I want you to talk to Grant about our time together."

"Why would I be reluctant to do that?"

"Because I want you to tell him about the bad as well as the good."

"I don't understand."

"You went through a rough patch or two back then, as I recall."

Jason grunted. "I went through a rough patch or two more recently than that," he said darkly.

"Then tell him about that. You're experience ten years ago."

"_What?_ No! I _still_ can't talk about that. Not even to you, and you were there."

"Jason," the Doctor said firmly, "Grant needs to talk to someone, and it certainly isn't me."

"What makes you think it's me?" Jason's eyes narrowed and he folded his arms. "Have you suddenly added psychology to your long list of—"

The Doctor held up a hand. "I'm a friend who's concerned. Yesterday you were an emotional train wreck who didn't think he would carry on the illusion any longer and today you're playing evil alien monster. You tell me you don't think you have it in you anymore, and the next thing I know you've turned into protector to all and sundry, incase you hadn't noticed."

Even though Jason knew the Doctor had a valid point he did not acknowledge it, his dark expression unchanged. "My current state of mind is irrelevant, Doctor."

"But Grant's isn't," the Doctor replied sharply. "I should probably point out that he wasn't the most willing of my companions. He came along simply because he had nowhere else to go."

"What are you asking me to do? Talk him into staying? Into being someone he's not?"

"No. I am simply asking you to talk to him. Companion to companion, as it were. You _are_ good at doing that, I've noticed."

"Is that all? Or do you have another reason for asking?"

"Such as?"

The Alterran studied his friend's puzzled expression and wondered if he were reading too much into what was very likely a straight forward request. After an agonizing silence, he said, "Never mind." He waved a hand in the air. "Alright. I'll talk to him. But I can't promise anything."

"I'm not asking for a miracle," the Doctor replied.

"Good. Any idea where he might be?"

"He said he was going to get cleaned up. Take a long hot bath."

A thoughtful look passed over Jason's face and the Doctor saw him switch into Healer mode before he turned and strode through the inner door.

"I'm not asking for a miracle," the Doctor repeated once he was alone. "But you do have a knack for producing them."


	44. A Favor

**CHAPTER 44**

**A FAVOR**

Jason was still struggling to come up with the right words to say to Grant when the young man in question suddenly emerged, fresh from his bath, further on down the corridor. He was carrying the coveralls in a tight bundle under one arm, having changed back into his own clothes.

"Feeling better?" Jason asked conversationally.

Grant gave a cry of alarm, dropping the bundle and his eyeglasses, which he had been in the process of cleaning. He turned sharply, a hand to his chest. "You scared me!" he snapped accusingly.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to," the Alterran said apologetically, bending down to retrieve the youth's glasses that had landed at his feet and holding them out to him. "I was just on my way to get something to eat. Join me?" He picked up the coveralls, scanning them in the process and verifying the abundance of chronons particles as he handed them back.

Still uncertain about the shape changing Alterran, Grant hesitated. He accepted his glasses and put them on to scrutinize his expression more clearly.

Seeing the youth's apprehension, Jason smiled knowingly. "I promise not to change into anything more frightening than a host during dinner," he said mildly.

Grant gave a small smile. "Okay. Just let me get rid of these first," he said at last.

* * *

When Grant arrived at the kitchen he saw that Jason had chosen to ignore the food machines and was instead preparing their meal from scratch. Since the Alterran was from what Grant considered the future, this came as a bit of a shock. "You can cook?" he remarked, watching in fascination as ingredients were pulled from various cupboards, drawers and boxes.

"I love to cook. I just don't get to do it very often." Seeing the astonished look on Grant's face, Jason grinned. "Along with my other professions, I'm a chemist. If you think about it, it's just a different kind of cooking. Mixing the right combination of ingredients and hoping they don't go up in smoke." He continued to work as he spoke. He spun knives impressively in the air and began chopping up various vegetables. "And _this_ is just another kind of surgery." Looking up, he added, "The best part is you can eat your mistakes." To his delight, his audience of one actually cracked a smile at this analogy. A sudden thought struck him and he asked, "By the way, you're not a vegetarian, are you?"

"No," came the puzzled reply.

"Oh, good," Jason sighed relievedly. "That would derail the entire meal." He finished his chopping and began combining the ingredients. Grant watched in awe as food seemed to fly in all directions without spilling. A large bowl was set down in front of him, and the contents of a smaller one was poured over what he could only assume was a salad as Jason tossed the mixture together. He was suddenly handed two smaller bowls and motioned to set them out on the table. Jason slid a pan into the oven, and set a timer before checking on a blender that was buzzing noisily for attention. He gave a nod of approval and poured the contents into a pitcher.

"What's that?" Grant asked, watching as the liquid changed color several times.

"I doubt you'll be able to pronounce it," the Alterran replied, rattling off a name that had more clicks then consonants. "It's from a fruit that's native to my home planet. I hope you like it. I always have. It…kind of goes with anything." He poured out a glass for each of them and then began serving up the contents of the large bowl, which, as Grant suspected, was an exotic sort of tossed salad. He had no idea what half of the ingredients were, but could not deny that it was delicious.

Jason served the remaining courses with the same flourish, silently studying the young man as he ate his meal. He waited until they started on dessert before finally attempting to fulfill his promise to the Doctor, although he still had no idea how to proceed. "You don't talk very much, do you, Grant?" he observed quietly.

The young man looked up, his expression unreadable. "I let the Doctor do that. He seems to like the sound of his own voice."

"Yeah, he does like an audience," Jason agreed, studying Grant with an intensity the young man found unsettling.

"He probably thinks I'm bad luck."

"What? Now why would he think that?"

"You're joking, right?" Grant replied, sitting back in his chair. "I mean, just look at the situation now. This friend of yours, Mel. She's missing because of me."

"That's not entirely true."

"Isn't it? You wouldn't believe the things that've happened since the Doctor let me come with him."

"I can probably guess." Jason smiled knowing. "How long have you been traveling with him?"

"A few months."

"Oh, that explains a lot." Suddenly understanding the young man's predicament, Jason gave him a steady look. "Grant, you are not bad luck. You just travel with it."

Grant blinked and then scowled. "What?"

"The Doctor is _always_ in trouble. He lives for trouble. If he were human I'd say he was an adrenaline junkie, but it's much more complicated than that." Pausing, Jason said seriously, "He thinks of himself as—How can I put this? A force for good in the universe."

Grant gave him a dubious look through his eyelashes. "A force for good?"

"I know, it sounds corny. But you'll see." A pause. "If you decide to stay, that is."

The young man looked up sharply, his eyes wide. "How did you…?"

Jason could not help but laugh at this reaction. "I've been there myself." He was completely serious when he went on to say, "Look, Grant, I'm not a complete fool. I saw what Buckley was doing to you. You don't think you can take anymore, do you?"

"I don't really want to talk about it."

"I understand—"

"No you don't!" Grant snapped angrily. "I'm the weakling! The one everybody picks on. But _you_—" He waved a hand at him. "You can change into anything you want. I didn't see anyone pushing _you_ around."

"Grant—"

"l'X'el told me what happened and why you're here," the young man interrupted again. "And I'm sorry you had to go through all that, but you didn't have someone holding you down and threatening to cut off body parts, did you? You can't possibly understand how I feel."

Stung by this remark, Jason closed his eyes, painful memories flooding into his mind. "Oh Grant, you have no idea," he said softly, a chill running down his spine. "I understand far better than you could possibly imagine."

"How? Did the other shape shifters push you around in school?" came the savage retort.

Jason knew the boy was lashing out as a defense mechanism, which only made what he had to say that much more difficult. He gave him a pained look and lowered his head slightly, unable to look him in the eye. "No, a bit more recently than that. I had a really, really _bad_ experience. I…I…" Breaking off, he put his head in his hands. "I can't. Dear God, I just can't…talk about it." The anguish in his voice stunned his listener into silence. "I've been in therapy for nearly ten years. I now have a phobia about being held down. The official diagnosis is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But…that doesn't tell the half of it." When Jason looked up, Grant was shocked to see he was fighting back tears. "Contrary to what you may think, I am not all powerful. I'm just a man whose true appearance is different than yours. I have weaknesses like anyone else."

Grant was uncertain if he really wanted to hear more. "If you don't want to talk about it…"

It was already too late. Jason had awakened the memories he had been trying to suppress and they were rearing up like a multi-headed dragon breathing a fire that burned into his psyche. He had resisted talking about his experience for so long that now he had started, he could not stop himself and the words started to tumble from him. "About ten years ago some very nasty individuals did an excellent job of exploiting my weaknesses. They pumped me so full of drugs I couldn't transmute. Then, when I was helpless they…strapped me down, stripped me naked, and…tortured me for…days…and days…and days…"

Grant's eyes widened upon hearing this, his opinion of the man before him taking a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn.

"I was out of my mind by the time the Doctor found me," Jason was saying quietly, his eyes focused in the distance. "And, mercifully, I don't remember everything that happened. But what I do…haunts me." By this time tears were streaming down his face and he made no attempt to stop them. He was also trembling badly and took a few min utes to get control of himself. "Sorry about that," he said at last, brushing the tears from his face with a trembling hand. "Did I mention I also have a tendency to get very emotional?"

"Jason, don't apologize!" Grant blurted out. "I should be apologizing to you. I never should've assumed—"

Jason held up a hand. "No, it's okay. It's…not your fault. You couldn't've known. Even my own people don't realize—" Drawing a deep breath, he went on in a firmer tone. "People have this strange idea that because I'm a 'Royal' I'm invulnerable. I'm supposed to be above everything; cold and detached. They have no idea how incredibly…_broken_ I feel inside."

"And scared. Always so scared," Grant added quietly, not realizing he had spoken.

Jason started, suddenly realizing he was getting through. "Not like the Doctor, huh?" Sitting back, he wiped a stray tear from his face. "He used to drive me crazy, walking into Lord knows what just to satisfy his curiosity. Charging off—"

"And never telling you why," Grant injected.

"Oh, you always learn why," Jason rejoined, his eyebrows raised.

The two exchanged a knowing look and said in unison, "Later!" then burst out laughing.

"I'm glad to hear there's something to laugh about around here," the Doctor remarked from the corridor as he approached the kitchen. "Care to let me in on the joke?"

Jason's eyes locked with Grant's. "Later," the boy squeaked, collapsing into laughter again.

The look of bewilderment on the Doctor's face caused Jason to chuckle despite himself. "Our considered opinion is that you still drive your traveling companions crazy."

The Time Lord straightened and tugged on his lapels. "It's a gift," he said proudly. He was delighted when his remark was received with a further peal of laughter. Despite the fact that it seemed to be coming at his own expense, he was glad his sullen friends had finally managed to cheer each other up although he wondered at what price it had come emotionally. It was obvious Jason had been crying, his eyes red rimmed and slightly swollen. Grant seemed in better spirits and he decided to leave them to it. Rolling his eyes in an exaggerated manner, the Doctor turned and strode off.

Grant was struggling to catch his breath, a hand on his aching side. He watched the Doctor vanish down the corridor and turned to Jason. "Can I…ask you something?" he said hesitantly.

"Oh, Grant!" the Alterran exclaimed. "After what I've just told you, you can ask me _anything_."

There was a long pause. "How did you meet the Doctor?"

Jason rolled his eyes and groaned, vividly recalling his first encounter with the Time Lord's fourth incarnation and the adventure that followed. "You want the whole story or just the edited highlights?" he asked.

Grant gave him a quizzical look. "Which is easiest to tell?"

Jason beamed at him. "That's a very diplomatic answer. I am suitably impressed," he observed as he got to his feet and began clearing away the dishes. "I'll tell you what. I'll tell you my story if you tell me yours. I guarantee, after you hear mine, you won't think you're bad luck anymore."

"So it's dinner and a bedtime story," Grant remarked, getting to his feet and helping to clear the table.

Jason looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I don't know. I doubt any story connected with the Doctor is likely to put anyone to sleep."


	45. Summit

**CHAPTER 45**

**SUMMIT**

While the Doctor did not need much sleep himself, he knew that his fellow travelers did. In fact as far as he could see, except for K'ell'k, everyone was on the point of total exhaustion for one reason or another. After several hours he went to check on his various fellow travelers, finding them all sleeping soundly. Thus assured he would not be interrupted, he set to work on the console in order to determine exactly why the TARDIS had suddenly become susceptible to the affects of a temporal rift. He suspected the link Jason had used to home in on the manipulator might have worked both ways and wondered how or even if he could counteract it. He needed to return Grant to his proper place in time and Mel to hers; and he needed to do it before his companions' timelines were irreversibly altered.

The Doctor was still working at the console when Jason entered the control room. Like the Doctor, the Alterran usually did not require as much sleep as a human. He could not deny, however, that the extraordinary stresses of the past few days, even the last few hours, had left him both physically and emotionally drained and had slept longer than was normal for him.

Jason gave his friend a quiet greeting as he crossed to where his pile of belongings had once stood. Now only two objects remained. He picked up the smaller of the two, caressing its once ornate surface a moment before attempting to open it. Despite his best efforts, he could not pull it open without damaging it. He finally had to tear the cover completely off.

"I hope whatever's in there is worth all that," the Time Lord remarked as he took the cover from his friend's hand.

Jason held up the contents of the box; his jewel encrusted collar of rank, which had survived undamaged. He explained that, unlike the one he assumed for affect when he transmuted, this one had been crafted specifically for him to wear on official occasions. He put on the gleaming object, absently rubbing the medallion between his thumb and forefinger. "I suppose you might think this was worth saving, but that box was more of a treasure. It was an anniversary present—a _first_ anniversary present. Shadra will kill me when I tell her what I did to it."

"I suspect she'd rather have you back in one piece to celebrate further anniversaries than vice versa," the Doctor said dryly, examining what was left of the box. "Not your usual jewelry box. Did you know this was reinforced with a titanium alloy?"

Jason met his questioning gaze with a dark look. "You're kidding, right?"

The Doctor was about to admit that it had slipped his mind that Jason had scanned the box after the initial bump against the temporal rift. Then it occurred to him that he mentioned comparing it to a previous scan. "Do you scan _everything_ to lay your hands on?"

"I don't even think about it anymore. I just…do it."

"I'll remember that."

Jason gave him a puzzled look, uncertain how to take this remark. He went back to the other box and squatted down. "I only hope my summit documents are easier to…" His voice trailed off as he reached out to pick up the box. It was so light it fell over, revealing nothing inside.

"They're over there," the Doctor informed absently, pointing across the room to a small table with several folders neatly stacked upon it, an ornate paperweight on top.

The Alterran looked in the direction indicated and frowned. "I thought you weren't going to bother with them."

"I'm afraid, while you were all sleeping, my curiosity got the better of me," the Doctor confessed. "That's not a problem, is it?"

The thought flashed through Jason's mind that he would have appreciated being asked first. He was prevented from voicing this when Grant entered with l'X'el and Pr'Ce'el. Jason could tell from their expressions that his ornate collar had caught their attention, and he gave a broad smile. "Just getting ready for our arrival," he announced and immediately transmuted, changing his garments back into the elaborate ceremonial clothes he had donned in the tunnels. He smoothed down his vest, adjusting his cape, collar of rank and then the circlet on his brow. Drawing a deep breath, he looked up, holding out his arms. "Well? How do I look?"

"Wow!" l'X'el gasped.

"I take it you approve, Lix," the Alterran said amusedly, receiving an enthusiastic affirmative in reply.

"I hate to interrupt," the Doctor broke in in a mildly disapproving tone, "but we'll be landing soon." He threw a meaningful glance in Grant's direction.

The young man did not even have a chance to wonder what would happen to him as the TARDIS was already materializing. As before, it occurred without incident or exchange of companions and they all breathed a collective sigh of relief. The Doctor operated the scanner, the shutters opening to reveal the scene outside. The room beyond appeared to be a storeroom, only partially lit and filled with boxes and crates.

"This is Earth?" the puzzled l'X'el asked.

Jason was already laughing, much to Grant's amusement and the Doctor's annoyance. "Probably. But once again we've arrived at the service entrance."

The Doctor gave him a disapproving scowl before pulling the door lever and vanishing through the double doors. "Well, don't just stand there, come on," he called over his shoulder.

Jason glanced at his paperwork and decided to retrieve it later. "Wait here," he said to the Wieonol, who gave a disappointed moan in unison. "Don't worry I'll be back for you. I need to let the right people know we're here. Besides, someone has to stay with Kay."

"Oh, alright," l'X'el moaned, exchanging a disappointed look with Pr'Ce'el.

Jason grinned, leading the way out the door, Grant at his heels. They emerged to find the Doctor already on the far side of the room. He reached the door and opened it, looking up and down the empty hallway on the other side. "No one about," he observed as he turned back to the others. "I suppose we'd best find someone in authority."

"Other than me, you mean?" Jason replied devilishly. He started across the room only to stop dead in his tracks and stiffen visibly, a startled cry escaping him.

The Doctor was about to deliver a biting comeback only to stop when he saw the Alterran's expression. "Jason…? What is it?"

Jason held up a hand, his eyes lighting up and a smile coming to his face. When he finally looked over at the Doctor he was positively glowing.

"I know that look," the Time Lord observed. "Shadra's here, isn't she?"

"Yes. And she's not supposed to be, either."

"Who's Shadra?" Grant asked, suddenly feeling left out all over again.

"Jason's wife," the Doctor informed. "They're linked telepathically. But it only works at short distances." To Jason, he said, "She improved since I saw her last, if she can spot you the moment you arrive."

"We've been practicing," came a velvety female voice from behind him.

The Doctor turned to see Princess Shadra standing in the doorway, an enchanting smile on her face. "Thank you for bringing him back in one piece, Doctor."

* * *

The sudden appearance of the summit's leader caused quite a stir among the assembled delegates, all of whom believed him killed in the attack. Jason was stunned to learn that, as far as everyone was concerned, the attack on his escort had happened only two days earlier. For him, of course, it had been two weeks, a trip through a wormhole, a jarring crash, several broken bones, a faked death, a trip down a time aura, an encounter with two of the Doctor's previous companions and a short stint as a monster ago. He wasn't sure what surprised him the most; the time differential or the fact that the Doctor had actually managed to hit the right time zone on the first try.

Jason, now Ambassador Krystovan, called a meeting of the leaders of all the delegations and was more than a little intrigued to learn that the Gres-Fa-Raayn's delegation had yet to arrive. Before the meeting convened, he returned to the TARDIS for his documents and his Wieonol charges. He contacted the Emperor, as promised, and then Commander SorRell for a status report. He was pleased to learn the operation on Heladin Alpha had gone without a hitch. Before signing off, he commended SorRell for her assistance in implementing what was admittedly a unique operation.

With these official duties out of the way, Jason went to check on K'ell'k, finding that he was sufficiently recovered to leave the sickbay and attend the meeting. He was still too weak to walk under his own power and was taken to the meeting in a wheelchair.

Jason called the meeting to order and then introduced the Doctor, Grant, and the Wieonol youths who had accompanied them. "My fellow delegates," the Alterran began, "I've called you here to inform you of some very disturbing facts that have only just come to light. But first, I must ask that you reveal to _no one_ what you are about to learn. And by that I mean no one outside this room."

As the group around the table took this in, Jason began presenting all the facts surrounding the attack on the _SILVER __TRIUMPH_, beforeand after. He asked the Doctor for clarification on one point and before he realized, and much to his consternation, the Time Lord had taken over the presentation. By the time he finished his final impassioned speech, the assembled dignitaries were clambering to eject the Gres-Fa-Raayn. There was even talk of charges being brought to the intergalactic courts.

The Doctor raised his hands to calm the group. "Please, Gentlemen, Ladies," he called over the din. "Unfortunately, we have no proof the Gres-Fa-Raayn used the Wieonol's star charts to locate the Heladin system. Despite what these young men say, the Gres-Fa-Raayn could just as easily say they stumbled across them."

The assembled diplomats fell into a stunned silence.

"Great," l'X'el said quietly to his brother. "We went through all that for nothing."

K'ell'k did not seem to hear him. He was still too amazed by the story he had just heard the Doctor and Jason tell, having missed everything that had happened since he was thrown to the floor in the manipulator room.

"There is a way of getting proof," Jason injected tantalizingly, attempting to reassert himself into his own meeting. "Which is where all of you come in…"

* * *

After the meeting, the Doctor left in the TARDIS to implement his portion of the plan. He left Grant behind along with the Wieonol youths, stating that what he had to do had to be done alone.

Jason turned his attention to his own preparations, wanting to be ready the moment the Doctor gave the signal. He had been delighted to learn that Grant was a computer operator and enlisted the young man's help in getting everything up and running on time. Grant suspected this was just to keep him occupied, to which he was extremely grateful.

The Wieonol youths, whom Jason had started calling "the trio" were taken under Shadra's wing. She was not supposed to be at the summit at all, her own official duties having been in conflict with the schedule. A last minute cancellation had freed her from that obligation and she had gone to Earth before her husband as a surprise. The horrifying news of the attack and disappearance of the _SILVER TRIUMPH_ came the day after her arrival. This was followed the next day by a secure message from Emperor Quinton informing her that Jason was alive and well and would be returning to Earth in secret. She was to continue her pretense of mourning until he made his official appearance. Jason's private message followed, containing a short explanation of what had happened, an apology for any heartache it may have caused, and a promise to contact her wherever she might be as soon as he arrived on Earth.

Princess Shadra left her three charges happily consuming an enormous breakfast and went straight to the office that had been assigned to Jason and his entourage, which now consisted only of Grant, everyone else having been killed aboard his escort ships.

Shadra found Grant working diligently at a computer terminal and he looked up when she entered. "Jason isn't here, I'm afraid," he said distractedly

"I know," Shadra replied. "It's you I came to see."

Grant scowled. "Why?" he asked suspiciously, wondering if _she _was going to try and have a heart to heart talk with him now.

Shadra took a seat. "I believe you're already aware that Jason and I are telepathically linked."

"Yes, the Doctor told me. What does that have to do with me?"

"When Jason has his mind on several things at once he tends to let his guard down. I can see things he'd rather keep hidden. And ever since he arrived, he's been preoccupied with you."

Grant blinked. "Me?"

Shadra nodded. "I'm not sure why, but he's worried about you and someone I don't know. It's something to do with things being out of time, but with the Doctor around, that's not exactly unusual."

"It's a bit more complicated than that," Grant informed guiltily. "I'm not supposed to be here. My timeline is messed up, apparently, and even the Doctor doesn't know how to fix it."

"That's not _entirely_ correct," came Jason's calm voice from the door.

Grant turned sharply to him. "You can't deny that my timeline is messed up," he pointed out in an almost accusing tone.

"No, but that's because the Doctor's timeline is messed up too. And even _he_ doesn't know what caused the phenomenon that flipped you, Mel and the others around in it. He's working under the theory that it was the manipulator that did it and that you were stabilized in this time zone because of an infusion of chronons from me."

As Grant considered all this, he was suddenly struck by the demeanor of the man standing in the doorway. Jason positively radiated authority. In fact, he seemed even more self-assured since the Doctor's departure, having demonstrated that he was just as knowledgeable when it came to the manipulation of time, computer programs, and the technology that seemed to baffle even those individuals from his own time zone.

Grant suddenly found himself wondering if Jason knew more about the present situation than he was telling. "So what if it wasn't the manipulator that caused it?" he said at last.

"Then we have a very serious problem."


	46. Conqueror

**CHAPTER 46**

**CONQUEROR**

The TARDIS materialized in the manipulator room on Enol in the exact spot it had occupied two days earlier. The Doctor emerged and crossed to the damaged device, giving it a quick once over. "You're going to have to wait, I'm afraid," he muttered regretfully. He strode across the room, cautiously opening the enormous double doors and peeking out into the corridor. Just as l'X'el had told him, it was in darkness and completely deserted. The Doctor nodded approvingly and gave a satisfied grunt. _Time to put the final step of his plan into place and set everything in motion, _he thought. Turning on his heel, he returned to the TARDIS.

* * *

Several hours after his arrival, the Doctor was being marched through the legislative building by two very large guards. He had used a map provided by l'X'el to get to the common areas and wandered aimlessly for more than an hour before finally finding someone to arrest him. Before he could demand to be taken to the Council Chamber, he was informed that this was where he was being taken.

"All right, all right, don't push," he protested as he was dragged into the room. "I can walk, you know!"

A final shove sent the Doctor staggering in front of the throne at the end of the chamber. He gave the occupant an appraising look. The rotund individual was dressed in a gray/green military uniform with a ridiculous number of medals pinned to the front. He had a smug expression on his pale, porcine face and it was obvious just from this cursory examination that he was _not _the council President.

"How do you do?" the Time Lord said, bowing slightly. "I'm the Doctor. Would you be the person in charge?"

"I am General Roogg of the Gres-Fa-Raayn," the monstrosity announced grandly.

The Doctor gave him his best expression of awe. "The same General Roogg who subdued the Wieonol single-hand?" he said in an awestruck voice.

The flattery had the desired affect. The General puffed out his chest, glowering in disgust at the cowering members of the Wieonol Council before turning in pride to his own retinue. "You hear that? My fame grows by the day." He held out a hand in the Doctor's direction. "Already the lesser races come to pay homage."

This verbal slap in the face caused the Doctor to stiffen involuntarily. _Lesser races, indeed,_ he thought angrily. He did not allow his annoyance to show and bowed again. "Of course…er, you're _still_ called General?" He allowed a hint of bewilderment to creep into his voice.

"Do you doubt my rank?" Roogg snapped angrily, leaning forward in his seat.

"No, no," the Time Lord replied placating, throwing up his hands. "I just thought…" He paused for affect, saying finally, "Well, _General_ is a military rank. As conqueror of the Wieonol, I'd've thought you'd have a more suitable title. Monarch, perhaps, of even…_Supreme Ruler_."

"You are right!" Roogg blurted out, thumping his fist on the arm of his chair. "I am Roogg, Supreme Ruler of Enol!" He threw a disapproving glare at his retinue as a chorus of snickers erupted in response to this remark. Settling himself back into his seat, he looked appraisingly at the Doctor. "What else have you heard of me, little man?"

"Oh, many great and terrible things, your Supremacy," the Doctor replied, adding hesitantly, "Although I have my doubts about them all."

"_What!"_

Lowering his eyes, the Doctor went on, "I meant no offense, your Supremacy. It's just that… well, your enemies will have spread lies about you. All great men do have their detractors."

There was another chorus of derisive snickers and guffaws at the phrase "great men," which brought another dark look to the General's face. He then nodded, accepting the explanation. "What do they say?"

Drawing a deep breath the Time Lord said, "They say you arrived among the Wieonol…er, by accident."

The newly self-appointed Supreme Ruler thumped his chair again. "This is true."

"Really?" came the surprised reply.

"I may have arrived by accident, but any good soldier will take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves," Roogg said proudly, giving his men a quelling look before adding, "What else have you heard?"

"Oh, please, your Magnificence," the Doctor said imploringly, adopting a pleading stance. "I know I am merely a poor insignificant, but would you tell the story yourself? It would be such an honor to hear it from your own great lips." He winced inwardly as he said this, knowing he was getting himself into several hours of boasting.

A laugh burst forth from the throne. "An _honor_ to hear me tell my tales! Do you hear that?" He turned another dark look at his subordinates "Some would disagree with you, little man," he said, waving a hand in direction of his men who were already pulling faces.

"Yes, your Magnificence. I did mention your enemies." The Doctor watched in amusement as his words had the desired affect. Every Gres-Fa-Raayn present began clamoring for their leader to tell his story. Even though they might not agree with anything he said, none wanted to be labeled a traitor, the punishment for which was death.

Settling back in his seat, Roogg began his tale, which was interspersed heavily with boasts of his brilliant military tactics and acts of bravery. The edited version simply verified what l'X'el, K'ell'k and then Pr'Ce'el had said already. The Gres-Fa-Raayn had discovered the fault in the defense screen, landed and found the planet devoid of weaponry but brimming with technology that was used to their advantage. After the population was subdued, their technologies, more specifically the star chats, were utilized to expand the reaches of the Gres-Fa-Raayn military forces. It was at that time the unincorporated planets on the fringes of the Alterran Empire were discovered. Somewhere along the way, the Gres-Fa-Raayn Elite placed General Roogg in charge of Enol.

Once in place as regent, Roogg implemented the standard procedure of hostage taking; a member of each of the ruling families being taken in order to guarantee the cooperation of the leaders. Roogg took special pride in his little brainstorm to remove the hostages from Enol and hide them on the fringe world of Heladin Alpha.

"A bold stratagem, removing the hostages from their home world," the Doctor observed urbanely. "But won't the upcoming summit put your plans in jeopardy?"

"Never. I hold all the cards." With a grin, Roogg said smugly, "You might say I've stacked the deck."

"I admire you confidence." Shaking his head, the Time Lord said, "It was my understanding that Ambassador Krystovan had other claimants—" He broke off when the monstrosity on the throne started to laugh. "Did I say something funny?"

"You're out of touch, little man. There's no need to send a delegation to Earth. Ambassador Krystovan is dead."

"_What?_" the Doctor gasped in a horrified voice. He forced himself to say in an admiring tone, "Another one of your brilliant plans, your Magnificence?"

Roogg grinned, displaying a set of horribly blackened and crooked teeth. "As an added step in favor of the Gres-Fa-Raayn claim, I sent three dozen stinger ships disguised as Sharks to intercept him on his way to Earth. The Ambassador's ship and his entire escort were completely destroyed," he informed proudly.

The Time Lord drew himself to his full height, meeting the General's gaze with a cold, accusing look. "So you admit that the Gres-Fa-Raayn were responsible for the attack on the _SILVER TRIUMPH _and its escort."

Roogg got to his feet, not liking the Doctor's sudden, accusing tone. "Not only do I admit it," he stated proudly, "but if I could do so again, I would lead the attack myself!"

The Doctor's reaction to these words was not what the General expected. He folded his arms and looked him up and down as though sizing him up. "Indeed? I wonder how the Ambassador would feel about that? Outraged, I should think."

To the General's bewilderment, a reply came from the public address system. "I think outraged is a bit of an understatement, Doctor."

"I thought it might be. Did you get all that, Jason?"

"Yes, we got it. Every bombastic word."

"Who is that?" the General thundered. He turned accusingly to his communications officer only to see him working feverously at his console.

"_That_ is the not-so-late Ambassador Krystovan," the Doctor informed mildly. "You should've sent your delegation to Earth, General. The summit began as scheduled. Not long after I arrived on this planet, as a matter of fact. And they've been monitoring your every word since I walked through that door."


	47. Showdown

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** In my original draft, this was to be the end of the story. But it seemed so contrived that I just couldn't leave it there. And, well...there were a few unanswered questions.

* * *

**CHAPTER 47**

**SHOWDOWN**

Roogg let out an angry snarl and turned to his communications officer, who was still trying to trace the breach in the internal sound system. "Forget that, fool!" he snapped. "Contact Heladin Alpha at once. Tell them to kill all the hostages. Immediately!"

The Wieonol membership instantly erupted into cries for mercy, all of which were completely ignored. Irritated by the noise, Roogg ordered the room cleared. After several minutes only the Doctor remained, standing silent and completely at ease in the center of the room, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Just who are you, little man?" the General demanded, annoyed by his nonchalance.

"Who, me? Oh, I'm nobody," the Time Lord replied breezily.

"A nobody who calls Ambassador Krystovan by name."

The Doctor's eyebrows went up. "Oh, you noticed that, did you? Well done. You'll be back amongst the Elite in no time."

Before Roogg could respond to this patronizing pat on the head, his communications officer chimed in. "General, I'm getting a very strange reply from Heladin Alpha. They said that the only hostages are you."

"What? Are they drunk? Try them again."

The Doctor cleared his throat dramatically, gaining the General's attention. "That won't do you any good. The message means exactly what it says. The Alterran Imperial Guard stationed on Heladin Alpha removed your hostages sometime yesterday—or was it the day before? The troops that were hiding them are currently under arrest."

"Impossible!" Roogg thundered.

"That's the trouble with self-important despots like you. Overconfidence. While you were busy stacking the deck, you forgot to make allowances for a wild card." With a knowing smile, the Doctor added, "That would be _me_, by the way."

Roogg had had enough of the Time Lord's arrogant and condescending attitude. He got to his feet, pointing a finger at him. "Kill him!" he shouted. "Now!"

The General's men slowly drew their weapons, almost disappointed to obey the order. They had enjoyed the Time Lord's sudden and very open show of disrespect to their leader. As the first weapon was drawn, the entire floor suddenly started to shimmer. A split second later, Commander SorRell and several of her troops seemed to rise out of the floor, every one having a weapon trained on the flabbergasted Gres-Fa-Raayn.

"Twitch the wrong way and you're a dead man, General. The rest of you, drop your weapons. Now!" SorRell ordered coldly. There was a cacophony of noise as the outnumbered Gres-Fa-Raayn practically threw their weapons to the ground.

"Oh dear," the Doctor tut-tutted from within his ring of protectors. "Did I forget to mention that I brought a few of the Imperial Guards along with me? Emperor Quinton wants a few words with you about your attempt on the life of his Ambassador, the destruction of the Imperial escort, your presence on the protected planets…" Pausing, he asked, "Have I forgotten anything?"

"The attempt on the life of a meddlesome Time Lord?" came Jason's voice through the public address system. In the background, Grant could be heard giggling.

"That's quite enough from you," the Doctor snapped. "I'm sure this is enough evidence to overturn the Gres-Fa-Raayn's claim of sovereignty."

"More than enough," the Ambassador agreed. "They're all yours, Commander. And thank-you again. I'll be waiting for your next transmission, Doctor. HRH out." There was a crackle and click as the connection was cut.

"Doesn't look like you'll be joining the Elite after all, does it, General?" the Doctor observed. He watched in the greatest of satisfaction as the protesting Roogg was taken from the Grand Council Chamber along with his men.

Heaving an enormous sigh of relief, the Doctor climbed onto the throne and closed his eyes, relaxing for the first time in days. _That's one problem dealt with,_ he thought, wondering how he was going to tackle the next one.

The members of the real ruling council hesitantly reentered the Council Chamber to find the Time Lord apparently dozing on the throne that had previously been occupied by Roogg. Fearing they had simply traded one invader for another, the President of the Council bowed low. "I am G'rl'k, former President of the Wieonol Council."

The Doctor sat up upon hearing this, jumping to his feet. "Former? _Former!_ My dear G'rl'k, I've just liberated your planet. Would you so quickly put it under someone else's thumb?"

"I don't understand," G'rl'k replied.

"I'm not surprised," the Time Lord replied tersely.

"What is the name of our liberator that we may thank you properly?"

"If you're looking for someone to thank, I suggest you look no further than your grandson, l'X'el."

"l'X'el! That troublemaker!"

"Indeed. He said you'd say something like that." The Doctor's eyes narrowed. "When was the last time you saw him?"

G'rl'k gave him a puzzled look. "I don't know, a week ago, perhaps longer." Waving a hand, he snapped, "I haven't the time to keep track of him. I'm only called when he and his brother get themselves into trouble, which I'm pleased to say they haven't done for quite some time."

"No, they wouldn't've done. They're the ones who contacted me for help," the Doctor informed calmly.

"What? Just who are you?"

The Alterran sentries at the far doors motioned to the Doctor that they were ready and he raised a hand in acknowledgment. Turning back to G'rl'k, he stated, "I am known as the Doctor. I believe you may have heard of me. You were only an infant the last time I was here."

The stunned Wieonol President's mouth dropped open but before he could think of a suitable reply, the Doctor said, "Now, I believe you have some duties to perform, President G'rl'k."

"Duties?"

"Returning some people to their families." The Doctor waved a hand and the doors were opened, the former hostages flooding in. The room exploded into a happy chaos of greetings and tears of joy, during which the Time Lord quietly slipped away.

* * *

The Doctor did not know how long he stood staring at the temporal manipulator. He had circled it several times, but did not attempt to touch it, fearing he might further upset the timelines. Eventually he gave up and entered the TARDIS, running several scans of the room and surrounding area. The results made him scowl and widen the scan. When he was satisfied he had all the information he could gather, he contacted Jason to let him know he was returning for the Wieonol trio…and Grant.


	48. Repairs And Manipulation

**CHAPTER 48**

**REPAIRS and MANIPULATION**

Nearly a week went by before the Doctor was able to return his Wieonol charges to their home world of Enol, the assembled summit delegates having caused the delay. They had insisted on interviewing the TARDIS crew extensively before finalizing the summit findings and submitting them to an Adjudicatorial tribunal.

Before the arrival on Enol, the Doctor stated that he needed l'X'el's assistance to repair and then operate the manipulator so that he could untangle his companions' timelines. This meant the boy would have to remain in the manipulator room until this task was accomplished. K'ell'k and Pr'Ce'el were determined to stay too, if for no other reason than to see how the Doctor would actually go about it. They therefore stated they would not leave without l'X'el. Grant was to remain in the console room to prevent his being exposed to a second dose of chronons. Not that this was a problem. A single scan of the room upon arrival showed that the abundance of chronons had long since dissipated.

As the group was preparing to leave the console room, a message came through on a secure channel. Jason raised an eyebrow when he read the security code. "Well, what do you know? It's actually for me," he said in an amazed tone and waved a hand at the others. "Go ahead. This shouldn't take too long."

The results of the scan had put the Doctor in a bad mood. He merely grunted, thrust a toolbox into K'ell'k's hands and herded the trio out the doors.

Jason threw an amused glance over at Grant, who was standing just inside the inner door. He activated the scanner and acknowledged the incoming transmission, a delighted smile spreading across his face when Emperor Quinton appeared on the screen. "Greetings, my Lord," he said with a slight bow. "To what do I owe this honor?"

"My, aren't we formal today," the Emperor replied playfully. "I thought you might like to know that the tribunal has made their final proclamation."

"Already? That was fast."

"Considering how much you gave them, I must confess to being surprised myself," Quinton replied. "It seems that after the incident on Enol, several claimants withdrew themselves from consideration." With an amused smile, he said, "I think the Doctor put the fear of God into them with his performance in the Grand Council chamber."

Jason responded with a laugh. "Do you ever wonder how he manages to do that?"

The Emperor grinned back. "You'll be pleased to hear the Adjudicators agreed unanimously with your recommendation and awarded sovereignty to the El'Li'Ono. They're drawing up the paperwork and a ceremony is to take place finalizing the decision and officially turning the planets over to their government."

"Sounds like everything's finally resolved," Jason said approvingly. His voice lowered in pitch as he asked, "Am I supposed to preside over this ceremony?"

The Emperor cleared his throat guiltily. "No, actually, I am." He held up a hand, adding quickly, "I know you put a lot of work into this, Jason, and that doesn't even include what you've been through since the…eh_, incident_ on the _SILVER TRIUMPH_."

Jason shuddered but did not reply.

"I'll make it up to you somehow. You're the one who should be finalizing the El'Li'Ono accord, not me."

Jason's heart missed a beat. "The El'Li'Ono accord…" he whispered. Looking up, he said, "No, that's quite alright, Uncle. You know how I feel about playing diplomat. You can't foist this off on me as Imperial representative. This time you actually have to show up in person."

Quinton gave him a knowing look. "No need to be so smug about it."

"Well…I so rarely get the chance to get one up on you. I'm going to enjoy the moment."

"Just don't let all this good news go to your head. There's more."

Jason's eyebrows went up. "More?"

"The tribunal also agreed with your recommendation to declare Enol a fully protected planet. They've already broadcast it, but just incase I've sent a fleet to backup the troops that are there already."

"Really? You know something I don't? Or are you just being your usual cautious self?"

"I have…concerns when it comes to the Gres-Fa-Raayn. To be frank, I don't trust them."

"Neither do I, actually. I'm sure Commander SorRell will appreciate the backup." A sudden thought struck him and Jason straightened. "Which reminds me, I'd like to put Commander SorRell and Lieutenant Torr in for a commendation. You know how things get with the Doctor around, and we threw some pretty weird stuff at them. I could not have asked for a better pair of officers on Heladin Alpha or here on Enol."

The Emperor sat back in his chair, his eyebrows raised. "High praise coming from you," he remarked. "Put it in writing and I'll have it approved."

"We'll work out the details as soon as I get back." With that, Jason signed off and the screen went dark. He turned to see Grant studying him curiously from across the room. He cocked his head, studying him back. "Now what? Have I grown another head without realizing?"

Grant actually laughed at this. "Sorry. It's just…you're so _different_ when you're—I can't say when you're yourself. I guess I mean when you're acting as Ambassador Krystovan, that's all."

Jason blinked. Grant had recognized and given voice to something that had been nagging at him for more than a week. He wasn't the Doctor's devil-may-care companion anymore and had to stop pretending he still was. He was Crown Prince of Tel-Shye with his own life, duties and responsibilities. A separate life. His own life.

"You should see me when I'm playing Crown Prince," Jason said finally. "That's when I _really_ get into—" He broke off when the console beeped again and scowled down at it, activating the scanner. "That's the long range sensors," he observed in bewilderment. The image that appeared on the viewer made the frown on his face deepen. "There are an awful lot of ships heading this way," he said, throwing a quick glance in Grant's direction.

By this time the boy was beside him staring at the image in a mixture of bewilderment and surprise. "Am I reading this right? They look like they're coming from opposite directions."

Jason nodded absently as he adjusted the image. He pointed to the pulsing dots on one side of the screen. "Well, from its direction, that should be the reinforcements the Emperor just mentioned. I have no idea who that other lot are."

Grant gave him a steady look. "You'd better tell the Doctor."

* * *

After leaving the TARDIS the Doctor had gone straight to the damaged manipulator. "I'm not entirely sure if this is going to work after all this time," he confessed. He opened the podium that l'X'el had originally used and pulled out a fistful of wires. He waved a hand vaguely, telling K'ell'k to put down his toolbox and stay close in order to hand him what he needed. Pr'Ce'el intervened, volunteering to act as assistant. After all, he may have a broken arm but was still capable of finding and handing out tools.

l'X'el went to the podium that K'ell'k had been at when he was injured and opened the inspection hatch, examining its workings "I think this one is completely fried. It looks like it took the full force of the feedback."

"As did Kay," the Time Lord observed, throwing a quick glance in the boy's direction. "What's the chronon reading?"

l'X'el held up the detector that was in his hand. "Nothing, same as before. Not in this room, the TARDIS, any of us…"

"Dissipated," the Doctor hissed. He thumped the podium with his fist in frustration. "Blast, I waited too long!"

"Doctor…" This was K'ell'k, who had taken a seat at one of the undamaged podiums. He was the only one to notice that the globe had started to glow. Whether this was because of the Doctor's repair work or his striking the podium, the youth could not tell. What he could tell was it was now displaying an image of a large ship bristling with weapons orbiting a planet.

"Not now, Kay," the Time Lord snapped impatiently.

The boy was not to be put off. "Doctor, look at the globe."

"What?" The Doctor turned sharply to the globe, seeing what K'ell'k meant. "That's this planet!" Turning to l'X'el, he asked, "How do you determine the time frame of the image?"

l'X'el crossed to the podium the Time Lord had been repairing and looked at the computer display's shattered surface. "It's usually indicated here." He pointed at a section of the screen that was completely dark, a large crack running through it.

"This one's working, I think," his brother informed. "But the time frame says zero."

"What!" l'X'el gasped, dashing over to verify what his brother had said. When he saw he had been correct, he looked over at the Doctor in horror. "Doctor, that's not an image out of time. It's in real time. It's happening _now!_"

Before the equally horrified Time Lord could respond Jason exited the TARDIS with more bad news. "Doctor," he called the instant he was out the door, "the long range scanner's showing two large groups of ships heading this way." He explained about the reinforcements he had been told about and the unidentified fleet approaching in the opposite direction.

"They must be backup for them," the Doctor replied, pointing at the globe. "That's a real time image of a Gres-Fa-Raayn battle cruiser in orbit around this planet."

"What? What are they trying to do? Enol has officially been declared a fully protected planet. Are they that stupid that—?" A high-pitched whine suddenly blasted through the air stopping him in his tracks and causing everyone to cover their ears. Within a few seconds the sound changed in pitch and then seemed to stop. Everyone slowly lowered their hands, their ears ringing. Everyone, that is, except Jason, whose exceptional hearing still registered the incoming squeal.

"What was _that_?" Pr'Ce'el wanted to know, shaking his head to clear it.

"I've no idea," the Doctor replied. "l'X'el, is there a malfunction of the—" He broke off when he heard Jason groan and turned in time to see him stagger back toward the TARDIS, his hands still clasped over his ears. A loud cry of pain was suddenly torn from his throat as he sank to the floor. "Make it stop! Make it stop!" His was breathing heavily, his torment clearly evident.

"Jason!" The Doctor was instantly at his friend's side. Grant had also seen the Alterran's distress and had come out of the TARDIS to help, the warnings about altered timelines forgotten.

A scream of agony was wrenched from the struggling form on the floor. "It's tearing me apart! Please, make it stop!"

"Jason, look at me," the Doctor commanded. His friend's hands were still clasped firmly over his ears and he took him by the wrists. "Jason, look at me! Look at me!" He repeated this command, shaking him until he looked him in the eye. "What is happening? I can't help you if I don't know!"

"Can't you feel it?" Jason demanded, his face twisted in pain. "The noise! It's tearing me apart!" He could not go on, his body arching back as another scream of agony was torn from his throat.

"Noise?" The Doctor's eye's narrowed as he struggled to comprehend. _Feel the noise?_ It was only then that he realized that the room was actually vibrating in response to some external force. "Ultrasonics?" He looked down, having to shake the Alterran to get him to look at him again. "Jason, is it ultrasonic vibrations you're feeling?"

"Yes!" By now Jason was screaming his replies in-between his cries of pain. "It's destroying the lattice holding my cells together. I'm being…shaken apart!"

Grant was amazed at how calmly the Doctor took this devastating announcement. Suddenly another announcement could be heard throughout the building, and very likely all over the planet.

"Attention members of the Wieonol race," a voice boomed out. "This is Commander Tre-Aal of the Gres-Fa-Raayn Elite. As it is already apparent to many of you, your Alterran protectors are no longer of any use to you."

As if to verify this Jason gave a mournful wail, his skin turning white the same instant.

"You are ordered to release General Roogg and his men and surrender immediately. If you do not, one city block will be destroyed at random for each minute you delay. You have five minutes to comply."


	49. Jam The Signal

**CHAPTER 49**

**JAM THE SIGNAL  
**

The Doctor was on his feet and heading for the TARDIS before the Commander had finished speaking. "I have to stop this. Jam the signal somehow. Stay with him, Grant."

Grant did not even have time to nod before the Time Lord vanished into the police box. He turned back to Jason, who was breathing heavily and shaking violently, his hands still clamped tightly over his ears. His skin, hair and clothing had gone completely white and had what looked like fine lines appearing all over them, something the Doctor had already recognized as the tell tale sign of the destruction of the Alterran's crystalline lattice.

"No…no…_no!_ Help me! Doctor, help me! Please, help me!" Jason screamed, fighting to keep his system intact against the overwhelming forces that were shaking it to pieces. He gave another scream of agony and finally lost consciousness.

"Doctor, hurry!" Grant called out fearfully as Jason started to convulse.

The Doctor did not even look up as his companion's anxious voice came thorough the open doors. He was rushing from one panel to the next, struggling to get everything entered in time. "Come on, old thing," he coaxed as he flipped a series of switches. "Just this once, don't play up on me. Jason's life depends on this working. You always liked him, remember? Don't let him down now."

Hurrying to the other side of the console, he manipulated a dial and scowled at the reading, making another adjustment. "That's it, lock into the planet's barrier. You can do it. You're much more sophisticated than it is." Another series of switches was thrown. "Oh, come on, you can do better than that! Give it all the power you've got." The Doctor dashed to another panel as he spoke and hit a final switch. Several sparks flew from the console in reply. The time rotor juddered to life for an instant before going dark again. The lights in the control room dimmed for a second and then grew brighter, a hum of power filling the room.

"That's the spirit! Don't let them get the better of you!" The Doctor studied the indicators before him, giving the console a loving pat. "Ha! That's my girl! Let's see them get out of that!" he said happily. He set several more instruments, locking the jamming signal into the planet's shielding and setting up a modulation routine that would prevent the Gres-Fa-Raayn from breaking through. Or at least from breaking through too quickly.

* * *

On the Gres-Fa-Raayn ship, Commander Tre-Aal waited patiently for the time limit to tick down to zero. Suddenly a cacophony of white noise blasted through the communications array. The officer at the station struggled for nearly a minute to get the system under control.

"Well, what was that?" the Commander demanded.

The communications officer had turned white by this time, not quite believing what his instru ments were telling him. He cleared his throat nervously. "Sir, our signal is being… jammed," he reported in a disbelieving tone.

"What? From where?"

"From the planet, sir." The officer flinched when he received an angry glare in reply. "The planet's deflection barrier is being used to reflect the sound away."

Tre-Aal turned sharply back to the main view screen, his eyes narrowing. "How is that possible? The Wieonol don't possess the knowledge to do something like that. And I doubt there's an Alterran left standing after that little concert."

The tactical officer stepped forward. "Sir, our informant did indicate that, at one time, they had a way of counteracting the sonic disturbance. He also said that some of them might be protected against it in certain areas."

The Commander nodded and sat staring at the screen. "Alright. See if our informant can suggest a way around this little problem."

* * *

When the Doctor finally emerged from the TARDIS he was surprised to see the four youths he had left behind acting as attentive nursemaids to the unconscious Alterran. In his short absence l'X'el and K'ell'k had retrieved one of the sleeping mats that were still rolled up near the door and placed Jason on it, covering him with a blanket. Grant was at his side, the Wieonol trio on the floor beside him.

The Doctor waved the trio back, getting down on the floor beside his companion. He pulled back the blanket to examine Jason's injuries more closely. Even a cursory glance told him his friend's condition was not good. He was breathing in short shallow gasps and his heart was racing. His skin, hair and clothing had gone completely white and were covered with fine cracks.

"I managed to get the jamming signal working," the Time Lord informed softly, although his companion wasn't certain if he were speaking to him or the unconscious Alterran. "The TARDIS is frozen where she is until I turn it off, though."

"So now I really am stuck in this timeline," Grant observed. He suddenly realized he wasn't sure if he were happy or sad about this prospect.

"For the immediate future, yes."

At that moment Jason let out a low moan. He opened his eyes and they rolled in his head as he tried to get his bearings. He drew a deep shuddering breath and closed his eyes, swallowing hard. The Doctor quietly spoke his name and he jumped, coming fully awake at the same time. "Doctor…?" he said almost inaudibly.

"I managed to jam the signal," the Time Lord informed in a quiet urgent tone. He took hold of his friend's hand and continued to speak in a low voice, fearing the ultrasonics might have oversensitized the Alterran's already oversensitive hearing. "Jason, I know you're weak, but I need some answers if I'm to help you." There was a squeeze from the hand in his own in acknowledgment. "Do you know how extensively your system's been damaged?"

Jason shook his head. "Need to scan," he whispered. He squeezed the Doctor's hand again, scanning himself through the Time Lord as he had done in the TARDIS control room. When he finished, he drew a deep breath, closing his eyes and squeezing the hand again.

"From your calm reaction I can only assume the damage isn't progressive," the Doctor observed in a relieved tone.

"No." Jason half-opened his eyes. "There's extensive lattice damage—"

"Yes, I can see that."

"—going half a centimetre in depth." Despite the fact that his voice seemed slightly stronger, it was obvious Jason had been severely injured. It was not until he spoke again that his friends learned the true extent. "Nearly all my joints are damaged and…so are my internal organs."

"Badly damaged?" the Doctor asked concernedly.

"Bad enough."

"Jason, is it life threatening?"

There was a long pause before Jason replied, "No."

The Doctor heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for that. Are you in any pain?"

"Some. It's…like arthritis, I suppose. Hurts to move. Tolerable."

"Alright. You rest now," the Time Lord said reassuringly, patting his hand. Before he could release it, Jason's grip tightened. "Doctor, I'm…completely blind."

"What?" It was only then that the Doctor noticed that the Alterran's striking sapphire eyes had changed from their human appearance to the crystalline sensors of his true form, their sparkling surface covered with the same fractures as his skin. Unlike a human, however, Jason's sight was a part of an intricate sensor array. Since his eyes, now sensors, had obviously been damaged, as well as the phrasing he had used, it was a good bet that his entire sensor array was inoperative.

The Doctor looked up, his eyes locking with Grant's. The young man nodded in response to the unspoken request. "Right, first things first," the Time Lord announced, his voice crisp and far more cheerful than he felt. He extracted himself from Jason's grip, covering him with the blanket. "I assume, Jason, that you're too weak to move." He did not wait for a reply, continuing with his thoughts as he got to his feet. "I also assume that every other Alterran on the planet will be in the same condition that you are—"

"No."

The Doctor stopped in midstream. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said no," Jason repeated in as firm a tone as he could manage. "The military has a way of counteracting a sonic attack. It's built into the emblem on their uniforms."

"Ah, I see." The Doctor drew a deep breath. "We need to be certain. Otherwise SorRell's reinforcements will head straight into the same— Oh blast, I've just remembered. With the TARDIS jamming the incoming signal, we can't broadcast out." It took a total of three seconds for him to change gears. "Right. Change of plan. We move Jason into the TARDIS. Grant, you stay with him and monitor the jamming signal. Kay and Cee, you go find SorRell. She was supposed to set up her base of operations somewhere near the Grand Council Chamber. Have everyone who was affected brought to the TARDIS."

"And me?" l'X'el asked.

"Ah, _you_ are going to put your expertise on the manipulator to work," the Doctor replied mysteriously.

"Doctor," K'ell'k broke in, "my Grandfather might be with SorRell."

"So?"

"So he won't believe a word I say. And he might convince her that I'm…well, playing a prank or something. How do I convince them I'm not?"

The Doctor was stuck for an answer, but Jason was not. He said something quietly to Grant, who chuckled upon hearing it and then looked over at K'ell'k. "Jason said you should take his fancy collar and say you're acting on behalf of Ambassador Krystovan."

"If that doesn't convince them, nothing will," the Doctor said approvingly.


	50. Outgoing Messages

**CHAPTER 50**

**OUTGOING MESSAGES**

Just as Jason had stated, the Alterran military had been protected from the ultrasonic attack thanks to an elaborate jamming system embedded in the emblem on their uniforms. There had been no malfunctions in the system, leaving Commander SorRell's troops at full strength.

The Commander had been in the her temporary command center near the Grand Council Chamber when the transmission came through and ordered her communications officer to locate the source, only to have the Doctor's jamming signal cut off all incoming and outgoing transmissions. This left her with a second and considerably closer problem. Who, other than her own people, possessed the skill, knowledge, and equipment needed to jam the signal? Where were they operating from? And more importantly, were they friend or foe?

"We have no one capable of doing such a thing," President G'rl'k was saying. "That knowledge was lost centuries ago."

"What about your grandson l'X'el?" the Commander asked. "The Doctor tells me he's quite adept at manipulating signals." SorRell had been informed that the Doctor would be dropping off his Wieonol charges, but had wrongly assumed he would depart immediately afterward.

G'rl'k snorted derisively. "My grandson is adept at manipulating situations and getting himself in to trouble." At that moment K'ell'k and Pr'Ce'el arrived, and he waved a hand in their direction. "You see? Here's the other one, and now he's brought a friend along." Then to K'ell'k he said sharply, "Well, what trouble are you in now?"

K'ell'k looked his Grandfather in the eye and for the first time in his life did not flinch or turn away. He drew himself to his full height and squared his shoulders. "I'm here on behalf of Ambassador Krystovan," he announced proudly. He crossed to Commander SorRell, handing her Jason's collar of rank. "He told me to give you this as proof since I wasn't able to meet you in person on Heladin Alpha."

SorRell examined the collar and nodded, handing it back to the young man. "It's genuine," she verified, throwing a quick glance in the flabbergasted President's direction.

K'ell'k delivered the inquiry concerning the troops, but did not inform her of Jason's medical status per the Doctor's orders, as he felt the news would very likely distract her from the already formidable task of protecting Enol against the Gres-Fa-Raayn Elite. K'ell'k went on to tell the Commander of the unknown fleet on an intercept course with the planet, and the Time Lord's plan to warn her reinforcements. "They sent us because, well…" He glanced over at Pr'Ce'el, who still had his arm in a sling. _What a pair we make_, he thought, _the walking wounded_. He had lost his own long hair—his pride and joy—when Jason had operated on his brain to save his life. Now he hid his bald head beneath a traditional Wieonol head covering, something he was sure is Grandfather did not approve of. With a shrug, he said finally, "We can't exactly help with any of the technical stuff."

"Don't apologize," SorRell replied, waving Lieutenant Torr over. "I think you may be able to help me."

* * *

The process of moving Jason had been simplified by the fact that he had been placed on one of the sleeping mats. His friends had simply used the mat to carry him into the console room where Grant would be able to keep watch over both him and the console.

The Doctor double-checked the controls to make certain the jamming signal had not weakened before giving Grant a quick run down of what readings to monitor. "They've stopped transmitting," he observed with a hint of surprise. "But that won't stop them starting up again if we stop broadcasting." He made another check on the long-range scanner, scowling at the approaching unknown fleet.

"Any idea who they might be?" Grant asked as the image reappeared on the viewer.

"Still too far out for an accurate reading. But I wouldn't be surprised if they turned out to be Gres-Fa-Raayn Elite forces," the Time Lord speculated.

"Is that bad?"

"Let me put it this way. The Elite forces make Buckley and company look like boy scouts."

"Great."

"Well, this should hold for a bit more," the Doctor announced, giving the console a loving pat. "Let's see about getting hold of the Imperial fleet, shall we?" He started toward the exterior doors, stopping when Jason quietly called his name.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

A ghost of a smile passed over the Time Lord's face. "You're welcome. You rest and get your strength back," he said gently. Then to Grant, he said crisply, "And _you_, keep these doors locked. If the jamming signal fails, don't open them for anyone—and that includes _me_."

* * *

On the Gres-Fa-Raayn ship, Commander Tre-Aal's crew were attempting to override the Doctor's jamming signal. When the informant who had supplied the information on the Alterrans' weaknesses could not be located, the science and communications officers took over the task of finding a way to break through the barrier. Tre-Aal watched almost dispassionately as one attempt after another failed. When the most recent attempt failed, his men merely sighed and waited for the computer analysis.

A ghost of a smile passed over the Commander's face and he settled further back in his command chair. He even allowed himself to feel a flush of pride. They were the Elite! The best the Gres-Fa-Raayn had to offer, and no has-been race and its alien protection force would get the better of them.

* * *

Uncertain what to do with himself, Grant circled the control console, pausing to check the readings after each circuit. While he was glad to be inside the TARDIS and out of harms way, he was also guilty for feeling this way. Despite the fact that he was supposed to be looking after Jason, it did not seem to him that the Alterran needed looking after. He was still breathing quite heavily, but did not appear to be in too much pain. Well, as long as he did not move too much, that is. He had not spoken since the Doctor left and seemed to be doing exactly as ordered. Resting.

The youth nearly jumped out of his skin when Jason suddenly spoke. "Grant, will you please stop pacing and settle down," he said quietly. "You're going to wear out the floor."

"Sorry. Nervous energy," Grant replied guiltily. "I don't usually pace."

"I do, ironically."

"Are you alright? Can I…get you anything?"

"Some water would be nice. I didn't mention it before, but I'm getting dehydrated. A side effect of the lattice damage," Jason replied softly, wincing as he shifted his position. "I could do with a truckload of analgesics, too, if you can manage it."

Grant nodded before remembering the Alterran could not see him. "I'll be right back, okay?"

"Okay." Jason closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Despite being in the safety of the console room, he did not fancy the prospect of being left completely alone. He tried to concentrate on something positive, but kept coming back to his recent feelings of resentment at being constantly brushed aside. Even at his own summit meeting! The Doctor had completely taken over, making him feel surplus to requirements. Jason knew this was just the Time Lord's way, but his current regeneration only seemed to have magnified the problem. Or was it something else? When the Doctor had asked about anything on his mission being classified, did he really suspect a hidden agenda? Was there something in Jason's own future that had caused his friend to suspect he would be capable of something like that? Was this the reason the Doctor now seemed so critical of his actions?

"Oh, this is real positive thinking," he muttered darkly. "Keep it up, Krystovan, and you'll be suicidal in no time."

* * *

The moment he emerged from the TARDIS, the Doctor instructed l'X'el to locate the Alterran fleet carrying SorRell's reinforcements. The boy took a seat at one of the working podiums and set to work. While he was doing this, the Time Lord rummaged in his toolbox, pulling out what looked like spare parts that he began wiring together.

"Just what are we trying to accomplish exactly?" l'X'el asked, his eyes moving from the com puter screen before him to the globe and back again.

"I rather thought that was obvious," came the tart reply.

"Not entirely. If your TARDIS can protect the Ambassador from the ultrasonics, why not just shut down the jamming signal and call the Alterran fleet directly?"

The Doctor looked up, fighting the urge to issue a crushing reply. "Alright. Say we do that. What would stop our friends in orbit from jamming _us?_"

"Oh. I didn't think of that," l'X'el said in an embarrassed tone. "Kay would have."

"Would he?" The Doctor raised an eyebrow. Before he could remark further, the globe flared and the image of the Alterran Imperial fleet came into crisp focus. "Ah, now we're getting somewhere," he said happily. "See if you can get a fix on the lead ship."

"I can do you one better. I can look in on the bridge," l'X'el informed. "The only thing is, we can hear them but they can't hear us."

Holding up the object he had been piecing together, the Doctor smiled broadly. "That's where this comes in."

"I don't understand."

"We're not going to send a conventional communication. With this and the manipulator, we're going to open our own temporal corridor."

l'X'el's eyes practically fell out of his head. "Do you mean a time fissure?"

"If you like."

"Doctor, those are incredibly unstable!" the Wieonol exploded. "They're even harder to control than the temporal distortion."

"My dear l'X'el, I _am _a Time Lord. I do know what I'm doing when it comes to manipulating Time."

"I know, but…"

The Doctor waved a hand to silence him. "Oh, do be quiet and do as you're told," he said impatiently.


	51. Do You Trust Me?

**CHAPTER 51**

**DO YOU TRUST ME?**

Grant returned to the console room to find Jason had dozed off in his absence. He knelt at the injured Alterran's side and reached out to wake him, only to stop and wonder if it might not be better to let him sleep. It was only because the Alterran stated that he was getting dehydrated that he chose to wake him. The last thing he needed was for something else to go wrong. Especially something that was so easily cured, as it were.

The boy touched Jason's shoulder and shook him gently. "Jason, wake up. I have your water."

Grant was totally unprepared for what happened next. Jason let out a cry of absolute terror, his eyes snapping open. He reached up and across his chest, catching hold of the hand on his shoulder and holding it in an iron grip. At almost the same moment he lashed out with his other arm, striking the startled young man in the side and knocking him onto his back, the bottle of water that was in his hand sailing into the air.

"Jason, it's me, Grant!" Grant cried out, covering his face with his free hand, certain he was about to be struck again.

Jason seemed to freeze a moment, his unseeing eyes wide. He was breathing heavily, his arm poised to deliver a second blow. Suddenly he relaxed, releasing his grip on Grant's wrist. He closed his eyes and fell back onto the pillow. "Grant…" he whispered in relief.

"Yeah, Grant," Grant said darkly, rubbing his now bruised side. "I brought you your water," He went to retrieve the bottle that had landed halfway across the room.

"Sorry about that," the Alterran said guiltily. "Did I hurt you?"

"I think I'll survive. Do you always come up swinging when someone wakes you up?"

"Only when someone's just tried to kill me."

Grant gave Jason a quizzical look upon hearing this. He knelt down and opened the bottle of water. He was going to simply hand it to him when he realized Jason was too weak to manage even drinking from a bottle by himself. In his confused attempt to defend himself he had used up nearly all his energy. Grant lifted the Alterran's head, steadying the bottle as he gratefully drank half of its contents.

"It's my fault you're so weak. I shouldn't've woken you up," Grant said apologetically as he recapped the bottle.

"It's not your fault—"

"Yes it is! You were completely calm and I had to go and—What's so funny?"

"Calm? You think I'm _calm?_" Jason could not help but laugh at the irony of this statement. "I'm scared to death. It's all I can do to keep from losing it totally." Closing his eyes, he swallowed hard. "If I start to panic, run. It's not a pretty sight."

Grant sat back, his eyes wide. He had been watching Jason in a combination of fear and amazement ever since he emerged from the reactor room in his true form. Despite the fact that the Doctor obviously trusted him implicitly, and the fact that he had gone out of his way to make Grant feel at ease, the boy was still wary of him. And his current fractured appearance only magnified how completely alien he truly was. He had powers beyond imagining and seemed as oblivious to danger as the Doctor; and while he had attempted to find some common ground in their heart-to-heart talk over dinner, it did not seem to help.

Jason had remarked that he had weaknesses like everybody else, but Grant hadn't entirely believed it. Now he was injured, helpless, and terrified—and Grant, who had called himself the weaker of the two, was responsible for watching over him.

"Jason, I'm sorry."

"What for now?"

Grant paused, uncertain how to put his thoughts into words. "When you were telling me about…what happened to you. It didn't…well, it didn't seem...real."

"Didn't seem real?" Jason repeated with a scowl. His voice rose in pitch and took an accusing edge when he asked, "Do you think I made it up?"

"No! It's just that… How can I put this?" Grant struggled to find the right words. "You said you weren't all powerful, but that's how you seemed to _me_. Those men fired lasers at you, and you still kept coming!"

Closing his eyes, Jason wondered if he wanted to laugh or cry at hearing this. "And now?"

"Now I've upset you. God, I'm so useless!"

This time Jason did laugh. "Useless?"

"Yes, useless!"

"You have no idea why Doctor had _you_ lock us in here and not one of the others, do you?"

"It's because they understand their technology and I don't."

"No. It's because he trusts _you_ to do exactly what he tells you to do. Do you honestly think those kids would refuse to let the Doctor back into his own TARDIS? They practically worship the ground he walks on."

Pausing a moment, Grant replied, "I suppose you have a point there. Why is it so important to keep the doors locked anyway?"

"It's the only way the TARDIS can fully shield me."

"What has that to do with keeping the doors locked? The Doctor told me weapons don't work in the console room."

"You still don't understand."

"That's an understatement and a half," Grant replied darkly.

Jason sighed. "Okay, put simply, the console room is outside the normal dimension of space/time; in a state of temporal grace. Weapons don't function. But sound does. The old girl doesn't recognize it as harmful. She wasn't exactly designed for silicon-based lifeforms."

"I'm still lost."

Jason sighed again, searching for the right analogy. "Have you ever seen a wine glass shattered by a musical note?"

"Yes…"

"Well, my physical makeup is silicon-based—crystalline. And that ship's transmitting sound waves that are causing it to vibrate on a cellular level."

"Is that why you have cracks all over your skin?"

"Yes." Jason shuddered, his voice deadly serious, "Grant, right now I'm the wine glass. And if that noise starts up again I'll shatter completely."

Before Grant had the chance to take in this disquieting piece of news there was a thudding on the main doors followed by the Doctor's voice. "Grant! Can you hear me?"

"Yes!" the boy called back. He started to rise, only to stop when Jason held out a hand to him.

"You can talk to him from the console. Use the mike. He'll be able to hear you, and you won't let in the noise if it starts up again," Jason informed.

"I don't know where the mike is," Grant confessed.

"That's okay. I'll walk you through it. Just go to the console."

In less than a minute Grant had located the controls, switched on the microphone and adjusted the sound filter to allow only the Doctor's replies through. "I hear you, Doctor," he said again.

"Ah, good, you've found the external mike," the Doctor said approvingly. "Is the jamming signal still operating?" His companion glanced at the indicators before replying that it was. "Good. Then please be so kind as to open the door."

A ghost of a smile passed over Grant's face as he pulled the door lever. A moment later the Doctor was striding into the console room and closing the doors again. "And how have things been going in here?" he asked conversationally as he began resetting the controls.

"I wanted to go for a walk, but Grant talked me out of it," Jason said mildly.

"Very sensible of him. Can't have you swanning about the TARDIS when there's work to be done," the Doctor remarked without looking up. "SorRell's Lieutenant stopped by to see what we're up to. Seems you were right, Jason. No one in the military was harmed by the ultrasonics."

"Great. I should've taken that uniform when SorRell offered," Jason muttered darkly. "I must match the console room décor quite nicely by now. White on white with a crazed finish."

"Makes a nice change from the manipulator room. Black on slightly less black. Very depressing."

Grant looked from one to the other in amazement, wondering how Jason could suddenly be making light of the current situation after having just admitted to being on the verge of hysteria.

The Doctor gave a satisfied grunt. "That's done it!" he announced proudly.

"You wouldn't mind sharing your genius, would you?" Jason said astringently.

The Doctor gave him an odd look before responding with an indignant snort. "I'm going to try to communicate with the Alterran fleet using an artificial time fissure," he informed. "I'm using the manipulator to set up the fissure and the TARDIS to maintain its stability in real time."

Grant did not think it possible, but would have sworn that Jason went even paler upon hearing this. _"What?_" he said in a fearful whisper. "But that means—"

"You'll be perfectly safe in here," the Doctor assured.

"What does it mean?" Grant wanted to know, looking from one to the other.

Jason closed his eyes and tried to keep himself from completely going to pieces. The Doctor gave him an anguished look, knowing what he was about to say would do nothing to ease his mind. "In order for this to work I have to turn off the jamming signal," he said calmly. "Our friends in orbit aren't transmitting just yet, but they may start up again as soon as they realize the signal's been shut down."

"And if they do, Jason will die," Grant concluded quietly.

"Not as long as you keep these other controls set and the doors locked," the Doctor stated firmly. "Now, as soon as I've gone, I want you to shut down the signal."

"No. Please, no," Jason moaned. Suddenly realizing that he had actually spoken, he closed his eyes and put a trembling hand to his mouth to keep from saying more.

The Doctor crossed to him and knelt down. "Jason, you _do_ trust me, don't you?"

Jason absolutely hated it when the Doctor asked him this. It always meant trouble. It also meant that the Time Lord was going to do something very dangerous, very stupid, or both.

"Jason…?"

"You know I do," came the quiet frightened reply. "I just…" After a pause, Jason admitted, "I'm terrified something will go wrong."

"Jason…"

"And don't patronize me and tell me nothing can go wrong! Something _always_ goes wrong!"

Instead of being stung by this remark, the Doctor actually laughed. "Yes, an amazing coincidence, isn't it? My dear Jason, if, as you say, something will inevitably go wrong, I will deal with it. I always do _that_ too. Now, are you going to be alright with this?"

"No, but I don't really have much choice, do I?" Jason replied fearfully. Waving a hand in the air, he said, "Oh, just get on with it. There's a planet out there that needs saving and we all know that only _you_ can save it."

The Doctor frowned. This was not the first time Jason's tone was overtly hostile. In fact, the sarcastic nature of his remarks had grown increasingly spiteful over the past week or so. It was obvious that something was deeply troubling his Alterran friend. Unfortunately, he had no idea what it was nor did he have the time to find out.

Filing the incident in the back of his mind, the Doctor got to his feet and strode toward the doors. "Oh yes, one more thing. I've no doubt this will set off a cacophony of alarms on the console." He stepped through the doors, calling over his shoulder, "So don't be alarmed."


	52. Reach Out And Touch Someone

**CHAPTER 52**

**MAKING CONTACT  
**

The Doctor pulled the door closed, giving the TARDIS a loving pat. "You'll keep Jason safe, won't you old girl?" he said softly. Turning, he crossed to the temporal manipulator where l'X'el was patiently awaiting instructions. K'ell'k and Pr'Ce'el had remained behind after bringing Lieutenant Torr earlier.

"How is the Amb—I mean, Jason?" K'ell'k asked concernedly.

The Doctor's face briefly clouded with worry. "As well as can be expected under the circumstances," he replied tersely as he crossed to the manipulator. "And none too pleased about what I'm about to do."

"I can't say I blame him," l'X'el remarked.

The Doctor gave him a withering look. "Right. This is how things are going to proceed," he said in a no nonsense tone, looking straight at K'ell'k and Pr'Ce'el. "l'X'el and I are going to contact the Alterran fleet. And you two are going to be as quiet as church mice and do exactly what you're told. If I get anything even remotely resembling an argument from either of you, out you go. Is that understood?"

The stunned youths exchanged a startled look before nodding in unison.

The Time Lord gave a satisfied grunt. "Alright, Lix, let's see if we can make this work." He switched on the device he had pieced together and looked up. "Has Grant switched off the jamming signal?"

l'X'el checked the readings and nodded. "Yes. All the communication lines are clear."

"Excellent. Switch on."

As l'X'el manipulated the controls in front of him, the Doctor turned to his brother. "Kay, do you know how to read the controls on this machine?"

"Yes, sir," K'ell'k replied meekly.

"Good. Get on the opposite podium and monitor the communications array. If that ship starts transmitting again, I want to know about it."

K'ell'k exchanged a nervous glance with his brother before taking a seat at the only other undamaged podium. He activated the computer and set it to monitor communications. He looked up and cleared his throat nervously. "Doctor, do you want me to monitor _all_ communications?"

The Doctor thought a moment and then nodded. "Why not? It can't hurt to be thorough." He waved a hand at Pr'Ce'el. "Cee, you can monitor this little gadget. I won't be able to do that and talk to—What did Torr say that Commander's name was again?"

"Deedrel, I think," Pr'Ce'el replied.

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "Pity it isn't Tolan. That would've made things considerably easier." Giving l'X'el a knowing look, he added, "It would also have been an enormous coincidence."

"Haven't you had enough of those?" the youth asked in a slightly guilty tone. "Who is Tolan, anyway?"

"Among other things, he's the head of Imperial Security on Alterrous," the Doctor replied succinctly, adding, "He's also a very good friend." He turned to Pr'Ce'el and began going over what he was to do.

* * *

Unaware that the jamming signal had simply been switched off, Commander Tre-Aal of the Gres-Fa-Raayn Elite forces was currently commending his men for having succeeded in breaking down the resistance of their obviously inferior enemies. He was also unaware of the fact that in the interim Commander SorRell's engineers had been working on the planet's defense shield.

When the Doctor told Lieutenant Torr of his plan, he went on to voice his concerns about the Gres-Fa-Raayn Elite carrying out their threat to destroy the city one block at a time. Torr agreed that this was indeed a possibility. He was also happy to learn the jamming signal did not interfere with ground communications and contacted SorRell. The Doctor informed the Commander that that the defense shield could be augmented. This way it would not only hide the planet but also protect it, if only for a short time, against any weapons bombardment.

While agreeing with the Time Lord's reasoning, SorRell voiced her doubts as to whether the plan could be implemented in time. It was then that she learned first hand that the stories of the Doctor's resourcefulness and scientific brilliance had, if anything, understated the truth. He pulled out several crumpled pieces of paper and quickly sketched out the changes that needed to be made to the shield, jotting down a sheet full of mathematical formulae. He handed the papers to the marveling Torr, instructing him to give them to his engineers, as they would be able to figure out what they meant.

The Alterran engineers not only knew what the figures meant, but were also astounded to learn they had been dashed off in a matter of minutes. They immediately set to work implementing the changes, going as quickly as possible to be finished when the Doctor switched off his jamming signal.

They finished with exactly five minutes to spare.

As Commander Tre-Aal was giving the order to begin the destruction of the city below, SorRell was giving the order to switch on the augmented defense shield. The engineers crossed their fingers and activated the machinery.

From orbit, the Gres-Fa-Raayn watched in stupefied amazement at the planet below seemed to flash out of existence. Of course, the Commander knew it was just the activation of the defense shield and ordered his weapons officer to fire, stating that the target was merely cloaked.

The officer obeyed, only to have the weapon's discharge completely absorbed by the defense shield.

The Commander gave a low growl. "Are communications still clear?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, let's give them the revised version of the ultrasonic wave," he ordered, settling back in his chair. "Maximum range. I doubt their buildings can withstand that kind of punishment for long." Pausing, he ordered, "And see if you can find out if Roogg had anyone with the skill to pull off something like this. I want to hire them back."

* * *

"Doctor, the fissure is opening," l'X'el announced, glancing over to the corner of the room that had been designated for its appearance.

At almost the same moment, K'ell'k announced, "The Gres-Fa-Raayn have started transmitting again." This was immediately apparent as the room seemed to start humming. None of them could hear the incoming sounds, but the vibrations were unmistakable and they exchanged a look of mutual concern before turning a worried look in the direction of the TARDIS.

* * *

The instant the Gres-Fa-Raayn started transmitting, an alarm sounded on the TARDIS's control console. Since he had been warned in advance, Grant did not hurry when he went to investigate. Then he saw why the alarm had sounded and threw a worried look in Jason's direction. As he hurried to silence it, he inadvertently opened the external mike, allowing the sound in for a few seconds before he was able to close it again. Looking up, he was inwardly grateful the Alterran could not see him fumbling with the console controls.

"They've started transmitting again," Jason stated in as calm a tone as he could manage.

Grant looked up sharply. "Are you feeling it?" he asked, wishing he didn't sound so worried.

"No, but I could hear it when you accidentally opened the mike. The pitch is different than before. They must be using a different frequency."

Grant considered a moment. "Is that good or bad?"

"Considering the source, I can't think it's good."

* * *

"Keep the transmission steady, Lix. You're wavering," the Doctor ordered, returning everyone's attention to the globe.

The fissure was visible as a thin glowing line snaking its way toward the Alterran fleet. Suddenly it flashed and seemed to attach itself to the lead ship.

"Got it!" l'X'el cried out triumphantly, his fingers flying over the computer screen as he stabilized the output. "Holding steady, Doctor."

The Doctor was already making his way across the room toward the slowly forming entrance. As he drew nearer, he could feel the temporal energies surrounding the entrance of the artificial gap in space/time. "Keep it that way. No deviation from real time," he ordered.

The opening suddenly seemed to solidify, resembling a simple corridor only a few metres in length leading from the manipulator room to the bridge of the Alterran ship situated light-years away. As the corridor came into crisp focus, the Doctor could see the crews reaction to the appearance of the fissure.

"Commander Deedrel?" he called out. "I'm trying to contact Commander Deedrel."

"Who is that? Identify yourself," replied a voice that clearly belonged to a man used to being in command. "What are you doing to my ship?"

"I don't know if you'll know me, Commander. I'm—" The Time Lord broke off when the commanding officer cautiously stepped into view. "Good Lord!" the Doctor gasped, taking a startled step back. "Tolan!"


	53. Contact

**CHAPTER 53**

**CONTACT**

"I say again, identify yourself," Commander Tolan ordered, his expression fixed. He was careful to remain well back from the opening, the phenomenon having already been identified as a temporal instability. He stood studying the unlikely invader in the multicolored coat at the end of the shimmering corridor.

The Doctor could not help but admire the man. Even faced with an inexplicable temporal event aboard his own ship he appeared in complete control of himself. He might be in a total panic over what was happening, yet this did not show in the way he carried himself or in his unreadable features.

"I apologize for my unorthodox appearance on your ship, Tolan," the Doctor said urbanely. "This is the Doctor."

The instant Tolan heard the Time Lord's name his face cleared and the presence of a temporal corridor on the bridge of his ship suddenly made perfect sense, as did the Doctor's equally unorthodox physical appearance. "I'm almost afraid to ask what you want, Doctor," he said in a guarded tone. "Although I must warn you, whatever it is will have to wait. I'm currently—"

"En route to Enol," the Doctor completed for him. "I know. That's where I'm calling from."

The Commander's eyes flickered, his only visible reaction. "_And…? _Just what am I walking into this time? If you have to resort to opening a temporal event horizon on the bridge of my ship, it can't be good."

The Doctor beamed at him from the other side of the temporal corridor. "You know me too well, Tolan," he remarked, telling of the presence of the Gres-Fa-Raayn Elite's ship currently in orbit around Enol, and the unidentified fleet on its way from the opposite direction.

Tolan wasted no time giving the order to increase to fleet's speed to maximum. Returning his attention to the Doctor, he asked, "Anything else I should be aware of?"

"Yes. They're transmitting an ultrasonic disruption that's specifically keyed to shatter your crystalline physiology."

"Really?" The only indication of surprise was in Tolan's voice. "We'll have everyone's countermeasures checked before we arrive. Were any of SorRell's people affected?"

"No, their countermeasures worked perfectly. Only Jason was affected before I could jam the signal," the Doctor informed.

A stunned look came to the Commander's usually stoic face. "How badly?"

"The affect wasn't long enough to cause progressive lattice damage, but it's bad enough to put him out of commission for a while. And the jamming signal cut off all outside communications. So if you've been trying unsuccessfully to contact SorRell, you know why she hasn't responded."

Tolan nodded. "We thought it might be a time lag."

"Yes. Fortunately, I was able to get a real time interface working. I just hope you can get here before the Elite's reinforcements."

The Commander turned and spoke with one of the officers a moment before returning his attention to the Doctor. "Our ETA is seven hours, forty-eight minutes. Is that quick enough?"

The Doctor blinked. "Just what is your maximum speed, Tolan?"

"By your tone I assume it isn't what you thought."

"Fortunately, no. But then, I may have been computing the speed of the wrong class of ship."

"Actually, we were considerably closer than Alterrous when the order came to change course. The Emperor decided to send—you'll appreciate the irony of this—the Krystovan class ships just incase the Gres-Fa-Raayn tried something stupid."

"As they are now."

Tolan nodded. "I'll see you in about eight hours."

"Take care, Tolan. In the words of your military, the Gres-Fa-Raayn Elite are extremely unpleasant."

"So I've heard," Tolan replied. "And Doctor…"

"Yes?"

"You take care, too."

* * *

"Jason, there must be a dozen warning lights and alarms going off over here," Grant said, throwing up his hands.

"So I can hear," the Alterran replied aridly.

"I don't know what half of them mean."

"They mean the Doctor is making a nuisance of himself in space/time."

"I wish I could do something more than just stand here watching alarms go off," Grant moaned helplessly. "I really am useless!" He picked up the box from which he had retrieved Jason's collar and threw it across the room in anger, causing the unprepared Jason to jump and give a startled cry.

"Are you trying to give me a coronary?" the Alterran said accusingly, a hand to his chest. "I have enough internal damage already, thank you very much."

"Sorry," Grant said in a small voice. "Temper tantrum."

Having had more than his fair share of tantrums, Jason gave a wry smile. "Just give me some warning next time, okay?"

Grant could not help but smile at this and went over to retrieve the already battered object he had heaved across the room. There was a small clatter as he picked it up and he looked in bewilderment at the object that had fallen out. "What's this doing in here?" his asked, picking up what he thought was a woman's lipstick.

"What does it look like?" Jason asked, his sightless eyes growing wide upon hearing the reply. "It can't be…" he said in a disbelieving whisper. "I left that with Shadra."

"What is it?"

The Alterran held out a trembling hand. "Give it to me," he commanded. "If it's what I think it is, you may've just saved my life with your little temper tantrum."

* * *

The Doctor took a step away from the temporal corridor, glancing back at the others. "Start to close it down, Lix," he commanded. "Start at the far end and work back."

l'X'el nodded and started to reset the computer.

"Doctor, why did you tell Commander Tolan about Jason when you wouldn't let us tell SorRell?" K'ell'k wanted to know.

"Not that it's any of your concern," the Time Lord replied frostily, "but SorRell only knows Prince Jason. Tolan, on the other hand, knows the former Marquis Krystovan." Seeing this meant absolutely nothing to his audience, the Doctor said, "Tolan has known Jason almost as long as I have and has considerably more contact with him on a regular basis. In short, he's a friend."

"Won't knowing he's hurt interfere with his judgment, like you said with SorRell?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Not in the least. Commander Tolan is one of the most level headed, professional individuals it has ever been my privilege to know."

Suddenly Tolan's clear voice came through the slowly closing entrance behind him. "Thank you, Doctor. I'll try to live up to that glowing assessment."

The Doctor turned sharply to see Tolan's amused face vanish as the opening at the far end closed.

* * *

Grant placed the tube he had found in Jason's hand, and caught his breath when the Alterran's body suddenly glowed brightly.

"It's okay," Jason assured, a contented smile coming to his face. "It's supposed to do that."

"What is that thing?"

Settling back on his pillow, Jason explained to the astonished Grant about the energy tube. He went on to say that he had left it with Shadra on Earth and had no idea how it had come to be in the box with his collar of rank. "She must've put it in the box by mistake," he speculated.

"You think so?" Grant was not so certain. Despite the fact that he had had little contact with Jason's wife, it was all too apparent that she had her head squarely on her shoulders. "You told the Doctor that something always goes wrong. Shadra must think so too and put that in there on purpose."

Jason gave a small smile but did not reply. He closed his eyes and tried to relax.

Grant sat thoughtfully a moment before finally asking, "Jason, what did you mean I saved your life with my temper tantrum?"

The Alterran opened his eyes and cleared his throat nervously. "I…um, wasn't exactly truthful when I gave the Doctor the results of my scan."

"Oh?" Grant's eyebrows went up.

"I didn't want him to worry. Well…not anymore than he was already."

"In other words, you lied when you said your injuries weren't life threatening."

After a long pause, Jason admitted quietly, "Yes."

Grant sat back, his eyes going to the ceiling. "No wonder you were on the point of hysterics when he said he was turning off the jamming signal."

Again Jason did not reply, silently drinking in the energy supplied by the little miracle in his hand. One of the alarms suddenly cut out and he turned his head slightly toward the console, listening. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

Another alarm cut out and this time Grant registered the change in sound, turning to look at the console. "Oh, that," he said aridly and went over to the console to investigate.


	54. Face To Face

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** 04/07/06 - Sorry that these aren't coming as quickly as before. I have been having computer problems that have been compounded by the ff . net pages failing to load!

* * *

**CHAPTER 54**

**FACE-TO-FACE**

Still unaware of the approaching Alterran fleet or the Doctor's current activities, the Gres-Fa-Raayn continued their unrelenting ultrasonic transmission. Eventually the structures succumbed to this equivalent to a slow motion earthquake. Mortar was shaken out of bricks, loose items were shaken from shelves and tabletops, and plaster started to shake from walls and ceilings. Deep within the legislative stronghold, the affects were just as slow to appear. At first a layer of dust was shaken from the ceiling. Then small bits of plaster started to fall, attracting the attention of the occupants.

"So that's what they're up to," the Doctor said, looking up at the ceiling. He seemed to come to a decision and turned sharply to the globe, ordering, "l'X'el, move the fissure to the bridge of that ship."

l'X'el gulped. "What?"

"You heard me. I've had enough of this nonsense. Time I had a little face-to-face chat with our Gres-Fa-Raayn Commander. He's starting to _annoy_ me."

"Doctor, I don't know if I can keep the corridor steady this close to the planet."

"Just do your best."

l'X'el exchanged a helpless look with his brother before doing as he was told. He had already pulled the fissure back from the approaching Alterran fleet and looked at the image on the globe to see where the Gres-Fa-Raayn ship was in orbit. As was customary with the Elite, it was not in a geostationary orbit, the ship moving slightly slower that the planet. This meant having to match the speed of the ship to the rotation of the planet where the manipulator room was located. One miscalculation and the corridor would end in space. After several failed attempts, l'X'el finally managed to make contact with the ship and hold the corridor steady. "No promises," he said as the opening in the corner started to solidify.

"None asked for," the Doctor replied, taking a step closer to the opening. After a few sec onds, the interior of the ship on the other side was clearly visible. "Hello! Can you hear me over there?" he called out as if he were calling over a neighbor's back fence.

Commander Tre-Aal appeared at the opening, several armed guards appearing behind him. "Who dares invade the flag ship of the Gres-Fa-Raayn Elite?" he demanded pompously.

"Well, you're arrogant enough to be a member of the Elite, I'll say that for you," the Time Lord remarked blandly.

"You're under arrest. Come out now or we'll come in and—"

"Oh, do put a sock in it, Tre-Aal," the Doctor snapped impatiently. "I'm speaking to you from the end of a temporal corridor. So unless you're a time sensitive, I wouldn't suggest you go mucking about inside. Not unless you want to age yourself and your crew by several millennia."

Tre-Aal wisely took a step away from the opening.

"Now that I have your attention, allow me to introduce myself. I am known as the Doctor." The Doctor's voice became hard as flint. "You are here illegally, committing a terrorist act on a protected planet—"

"_So…?"_ Tre-Aal snorted.

"_So_ I want you out of this system before the end of this solar day."

The Gres-Fa-Raayn commander stood staring for several seconds before he burst out laughing. He turned to his crew, gesturing to the opening. "He dares to order me to leave!"

"By the end of this solar day," the Doctor repeated firmly.

"Just who do you think you are, ordering me about? You're no Wieonol, and you don't look like one of their alien guard dogs. Are you a free agent?" The Commander caught his breath and pointed a finger. "You're the one who blocked our signal! Of course! Whatever they're paying you, I'll double it."

"I'm not here to give you my particulars!" the Doctor snapped, appalled at the very idea.

"Pity. I could use talent like yours. Our last free agent wasn't worth squat."

"Just so we understand each other. I am not Wieonol, Alterran, _or _a free agent." The Doctor drew himself to his full height, announcing grandly, "I am a Time Lord."

The affects of this statement were so dramatic it startled the trio who were watching the conversation as it played out on the globe. Commander Tre-Aal stepped back as if he had been struck physically. The security men behind him exchanged a nervous glance and then edged further away from the opening.

"A Time Lord!" Tre-Aal gasped. Then he scowled. "What interest do the Time Lords have in this little grease speck of a planet?"

"Grease speck? _Grease speck!_" the Doctor replied, his indignation rising along with his voice. "One of the oldest civilizations in the cosmos. Its heritage rich in history, art, philosophy and you call it a _grease speck_. If it has no military value, it's worthless as far as the narrow minded _Elite_ are concerned, isn't it?"

"It must have something valuable if the High Council sent you to protect it," Tre-Aal replied, having partially regained his equilibrium.

"Sent? _Sent!_" By now the Doctor could barely suppress his outrage. "I wasn't _sent_ by anyone. I happen to be the Lord President of the High Council of Time Lords." _That will throw him off his stride,_ the Doctor thought, watching as his words had just such an affect. Before the Commander could recover, the Doctor repeated his order that he leave the system immediately. "And just incase you need a bit more incentive…" he added coldly. "The Lord Emperor of Alterrous has ordered a battalion of his own Elite forces to reinforce the troops that are already on this planet. Troops, I might add, unaffected by your ultrasonic transmission."

"Damn you!" the Commander snarled.

"Temper, temper. That's not the way of the Elite, is it?" the Time Lord chided, wagging a finger. "Now, get out of this system before the fleet arrives and turns _you_ into a grease speck. You have less than eight hours." He turned sharply and commanded, "Cut the link, Lix."

l'X'el did not have to comply. At that moment the ship moved out of range and the corridor shifted into space. "I'm losing it," he cried out.

"Just relax and take your time," the Doctor replied calmly.

"Wouldn't it've been easier for you to have done that in the first place?" Pr'Ce'el said in a judgmental tone, adding, "Lord President."

The disapproving look the Doctor turned in the boy's direction made him flinch. "No, it would not," he responded acidly. "And it's _former _President actually. But they don't need to know that, do they?"

"But the way they reacted…"

K'ell'k tried unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh. "Don't you see? The Doctor did that to establish his authority. That Commander didn't even question the fact that there's an Alterran fleet on the way, and they can't've picked them up on long-range scanners yet. Their equipment isn't nearly as sophisticated as the TARDIS. Look, they've broken orbit already."

Pr'Ce'el turned to see the ship moving very quickly away from the planet.

"That bang on the head didn't affect your reasoning in the slightest, did it, Kay?" the Time Lord remarked admiringly, bringing a self-conscious smile to K'ell'k's face.

Just then a large chunk of plaster fell from the ceiling onto the entry pad l'X'el had been wrestling with and triggered an alarm on the Doctor's own device. Pr'Ce'el looked down at it in horror. "Doctor, we're losing the link with your TARDIS!"

"What?" Before the Time Lord could react, the temporal fissure behind him flared brightly. l'X'el frantically brushed the debris from his computer and struggled with the controls before finally getting them under control. Or so he thought. When the glare in the corner faded, the trio were horrified to discover the Doctor had vanished and the entrance to the temporal fissure had partially closed.

When the alarm on the Doctor's device sounded, another sounded on the TARDIS's control console. Grant scrutinized the reading and scowled. "It's coming from a completely different panel than all the others," he said in bewilderment. He had seen the Gres-Fa-Raayn ship break orbit and had barely finished silencing all the alarms after the ultrasonic transmission ceased. So what had triggered this newest one?

Jason sat up a little, propping himself up on his elbow. He had absorbed enough energy to repair his internal organs, but not enough to repair his skin or the complex sensor array connected to his eyes. "Describe it," he commanded. "Starting at the edge nearest you."

Grant did as instructed, stopping when the Alterran caught his breath. "That's the telepathy circuits," he gasped, struggling to a sitting position. "Check the scanner, quickly. See what's going on out there."

_Finally_, Grant thought, controls he actually knew the location of and how to use them. He manipulated the dial, watching as the image of the room outside came into view.

"What do you see?" Jason asked impatiently.

"There's a…swirl…distortion…_something_ in the far corner," Grant replied in bewilderment.

"The temporal fissure. What else? Where is everyone in the room?"

"Hang on, let me make a sweep of the room." The young man moved the dial, watching as the scanner moved through three hundred and sixty degrees. He described the positions of the Wieonol youths and looked for the Doctor. "I don't see him!" he gasped, noting the panicked looks on the faces of the trio in the manipulator room.

"Something went wrong. Dammit! I _knew_ something would go wrong!" Jason struggled to sit up fully. "Help me up."

Grant gave him a horrified look. "What? Jason, you're in no condition—"

"Grant," Jason cut in sharply, "the TARDIS is telepathically linked to the Doctor. That alarm means he's in trouble. The fact that you don't see him confirms that. Now help me up."

Unable to argue with the logic, Grant was halfway across the room before he asked a very pertinent question. "Why?"

"Because I have to go outside and I need you to help me get there."

The young man stopped dead in his tracks. "What! Are you out of your mind?"

"Very probably. Now are you going to help me or am I going to have to crawl?"

Grant stood staring in an agony of indecision. He was responsible for keeping the injured Alterran safe and alive, which meant keeping him inside the console room. Normally he would have been no match for him, but in his weakened condition, Jason was no match for the slightly built youth. Grant could very easily overpower him in order to keep him from leaving. Then again, there was their joint loyalty to the Doctor; a loyalty that was obviously driving the debilitated Jason beyond the limits of rationality and self-preservation.

"Grant, please! Help me!" Jason exclaimed in desperation.

Drawing a deep breath, and questioning his own sanity, Grant pulled the door lever and went over to help the Alterran to his feet, having to support nearly all of his weight as he did so. "If the Doctor isn't in trouble he's going to be very angry."

"And if he is," Jason replied in an annoyed tone, "he'll never admit it, blast him."


	55. Fractured Time

**CHAPTER 55**

**FRACTURED TIME  
**

It turned out that Jason was only half right. The alarm on the telepathy circuits was signaling that the Doctor was in trouble, but he did not feel as if he were. He knew at once what had happened. The unstable temporal corridor had flared around him and closed, trapping him inside. He was confident that, given time, l'X'el would be able to reopen the entrance and get him out.

The total darkness gave way to a shimmering light that slowly appeared in the distance and the Doctor cautiously moved towards it. After what seemed like only a few steps he found himself looking out at what he realized, with a start, was his own timeline. Even as he watched it continued to move away, splitting and fanning out into the future; each choice leading him onto a different path, one of which he knew ended with him spiraling into the dark persona that was the Valyard. Even as this thought crossed his mind, a single path darkened. _No,_ he thought, _he could avoid that path. Change it, here and now._ Mel was missing in time and without her at his side, he could avoid descending into the twisted creature of evil that dogged his every waking moment. What if he simply left her wherever it was she was stranded? What if he couldn't retrieve her anyway? Should he even try? Grant was an amiable companion and had settled in nicely the first time around. Why not let him stay in this future? Would that be so bad?

As the Doctor stood mesmerized by his own choices he overlooked the reality that some choices were not his to make. Some were made by those around him and he simply reacted, his own reactions sending him down a different path. And sometimes, his inaction.

* * *

The Wieonol youths were shocked and delighted when Grant emerged from the TARDIS supporting the semi-recovered Jason. K'ell'k rushed over to help guide the Alterran to the manipulator's stone base where he could sit down.

"I want to know exactly what's been happening out here," Jason said in the authoritative voice he rarely used. "And I want it in as concise a manner as possible."

The trio exchanged glances and l'X'el nodded, silently agreeing to act as spokesman. He gave a run down of what had occurred, explaining about the fissure getting out of control and flaring suddenly. "It's closed itself off at both ends," he said in a frightened voice.

Jason had listened in silence, hearing not just the panic in the young man's voice but feeling it in the atmosphere of the room. He drew a deep breath when the boy finished his story and turned toward the globe beside him, holding out a hand. "Is this thing still on?" he asked, receiving an affirmative from all present. "Good. l'X'el, get back to your station and tell me exactly what the readings are. I need you to act as my eyes."

l'X'el exchanged a dubious look with the others before doing as he was told, reading off exactly what the computer displayed and its position on the screen. "I don't know what you expect me to do," he said in a helpless tone.

"I expect you to do exactly what I tell you to do," the Alterran replied tersely. "If you're half as good as I think you are, you should be able to restabilize the time fissure at this end. With any luck, the Doctor will see it and find his way out."

Grant was glad Jason could not see the skeptical looks he got in response to this statement.

l'X'el listened carefully and did exactly as instructed, marveling at the same time at how Jason could visualize the input as he described it. After several minutes of work, the time fissure stabilized and reopened in the corner of the room.

"You did it!" l'X'el gasped, not quite believing it himself.

"No, _you_ did it," Jason corrected pointedly. Turning slightly towards the corner, he held out a hand in its direction. He could feel the temporal energy that was now flooding into the room. "Cee, get the link with the TARDIS stabilized before you all turn into old men."

"I don't know how," Pr'Ce'el replied helplessly.

"That's alright, I do."

Again the Alterran amazed his audience by walking the nervous Wieonol through the steps needed to stabilize the entrance to the fractured time corridor.

"Jason, the far end is still very unstable," l'X'el informed worriedly. "It looks like it's fading in and out."

"With any luck the Doctor will see the opening and we won't have to worry about it," Jason replied, waving a hand vaguely in the direction of the time corridor where they hoped the Doctor would suddenly appear acting as if nothing had happened.

After five minutes, Grant sighed heavily. "He's not coming out, is he?"

Jason cursed under his breath. "Can you see him?"

Grant took a step toward the fissure, stopping when Jason reached out and cautioned, "Not too close."

"Don't worry," Grant replied, moving only close enough so he could see into the opening. He was surprised to see it looked like a stone tunnel stretching out into the distance. Far in that distance he could just make out the Doctor's multicolored coat. "I see him! But he's turned away. I think he's looking at something. There's something…shining in front of him." His tone became less certain as he added, "I think it's in front of him. The walls are all shiny. It looks like the aurora borealis going on down there."

Jason cursed a second time. Suddenly his legs were shimmering. "I _hate_ transmuting piecemeal. It plays havoc with my energy reserves," he muttered darkly, going on to stun the trio by rising to his feet without aide. "Somebody help me over there," he said, holding out a hand.

No one moved.

"Jason, what are you going to do?" Grant said suspiciously as he crossed back to him.

"I'm going in."

"I was afraid you were going to say that. Can't you at least wait until you can see?"

Shaking his head, the Alterran replied, "That'll take too long. It's not just my eyes; it's my whole sensor array. It's probably the most complex thing I have to repair."

"If you kill yourself I'm not going to be held responsible," Grant said forcefully as he took his outstretched hand. "You're still not strong enough and you knowit."

"Probably. But even like this I'm still stronger than any of you at withstanding the energies inside an unstable temporal corridor. I can take a century here or there, but you can't," the Alterran pointed out. "Lix, you work on stabilizing the far end."

"Sir, I really think you should listen to Grant…" the boy stated hesitantly.

"If the Doctor's hurt, he'll need someone to guide him out," Jason replied forcefully. "And no cracks about the blind leading the blind!"

* * *

Had he been paying attention, the Doctor would have seen the entrance to the time corridor reopen. But he was oblivious to this, unable to take his eyes from the hypnotic scene that continued to spread out before him. He could feel the ebb and flow of time around him as he watched the changing timelines and knew somewhere in the back of his mind that it was all the unnatural result of the damage to the temporal corridor. He could feel himself being drawn into the power radiating from the fractured reality, the whole of time rippling forward and backward, swirling around the mesmerized Time Lord.

The Doctor marveled at the symmetry as the timelines continued to spread out. The whole of his life laid out in neat lines and with them the tantalizing possibility that he could rewrite the future. He scowled at this last thought. _Rewrite the future? That wasn't right._ He shook his head to clear it and get control of himself. It would be very easy to lose oneself in the raw temporal energies swirling around him. If one knew what they were doing, they could very easily recreate the past, present, or future.

The Doctor's reverie was finally broken when the interior of the fissure flared momentarily. He blinked a few times to clear his vision and was startled to see a second set of timelines had appeared, some of which intersected with his own. He scowled and turned, seeing Jason approaching. It occurred to him in a vague sort of way that he should be surprised to see the Alterran, especially since he seemed halfway between life and death. His hair was still snow white, as were his skin and clothing, which, like his eyes, were covered with fine fracture lines. He was walking unaided, and seemed to be having no trouble breathing. Uncertain why himself, the Doctor dismissed his presence and turned back to the panorama of time before him.

"Aren't you even going to say hello?" Jason said in a quiet bewildered tone. He had a hand on one wall, the other outstretched. He could feel the Doctor's time aura in the air and was using it as a beacon, following it to its source.

"Hello," the Doctor said blandly.

Jason was puzzled by his friend's lack of reaction "I thought you were in trouble. Was I wrong?"

"Do I look in trouble to you?"

"Doctor, I'm blind. You don't look anything to me. Are you alright?"

"Perfectly. I'm just enjoying the view. That's not a crime, is it?"

"No, of course not." Jason paused. "Is it nice?"

"Nice? Nice!" the Doctor replied sharply. "It's absolutely exquisite."

"Really? I wish I could see it. What does it look like?" As he was speaking, Jason finally managed to reach the Doctor, his hand lightly touching his shoulder. He felt what he thought was a static shock and jumped, withdrawing his hand in surprise.

The Alterran's touch caused a great deal more than a static shock. It was the catalyst that triggered an influx of raw temporal energies, concentrating them on the unsuspecting Time Lord and swamping his senses, overwhelming any resistance to what happened next. The Doctor suddenly faded in and out of existence; pulled through several dimensions at once and the contradictory timelines each contained. When his body finally solidified, it was not the Doctor that Jason knew who stood before him. He spun around, pushing the Alterran away. "Keep away from me," he snarled. "I know what you're trying to do and it won't work."

Jason was sent reeling back against the opposite side of the corridor. He hit the wall with his back and grabbed out with both hands to keep from falling. He barely managed it, the surface beneath his hands nearly as smooth as glass. "What?"

Were he been able to see his friend's face, he would have been shocked by the cruel expression that suddenly contorted his features. He regained his balance and stood with one hand reaching back to the wall. "What are you talking about? It's me. Jason."

"And you've come to take me away from all this."

"All what? I thought something went wrong."

The Doctor's angry, accusing tone became even more malicious. "So you raised yourself from your deathbed, like some grand messiah, and walked on the water to save me."

Jason's head was already buzzing with the affects of the temporal energies surrounding him, his damaged sensor array picking up nothing but jumbled signals. He struggled to understand what was happening, only to come up blank. "Doctor, I don't know what you're talking about," he replied in a patient tone. He stepped slightly away from the wall and in the direction of his friend's voice. "I used the energy tube to partially heal myself," he said, holding it up in way of explanation. His voice hardened as he added, "Anyway, I thought _you _were the grand messiah around here. You've got everybody else believing you can walk on water."

"Like a god," the Time Lord whispered. "Yes, I am a god. In here, I have the power to manipulate time. Just think, all of infinity laid out in neat lines. Nothing random. No more coincidences. It's all a matter of choice."

"Choice? Doctor, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't. How could you? It isn't your choice to make, is it? It's mine and mine alone," the Doctor replied grandly.

"Great. That's all I need. More bombastic nonsense," Jason said under his breath.

The remark was still loud enough for the Doctor to hear and he whirled around, a snarl escaping him. He lashed out, striking Jason with the back of his hand. The blow was not as forceful as it could have been, but it did not need to be. It took the already physically weak Alterran completely by surprise. He crashed to the ground, his head striking the hard stone-like surface, the energy tube rolling from his hand.


	56. The Hands Of A Friend

**CHAPTER 56**

**THE HANDS OF A FRIEND  
**

The Doctor stood over the Alterran's moaning form, his face contorted with contempt. "Now I expect you want me to save you?" he sneered. "That's what you _all _want, isn't it? Does anyone ever think to ask what _I_ want?"

"I came…to save _you_," came the weak reply.

The Doctor laughed derisively. "You _what?_"

"I thought you needed my help."

"I don't need anyone's help! I'm the Doctor!"

"No you're not. I don't know who you are. But you're not the Doctor."

The next thing Jason knew the Time Lord was on top of him, his hands at his throat. "Whose aura do you feel?" the lunatic growled, slowly squeezing against Jason's throat and partially cutting off his air.

Too weak to stand, and almost too weak to fight back, Jason could do little to fend off the attack. He pulled unsuccessfully at the fingers at his neck. "Yours," he managed between gasps.

"Whose? Say it! Whose aura do you feel?" the Doctor snarled, banging his captive's head against the stone-like floor. "_Say it!_"

"The Doctor's," Jason said in a frightened whimper. "I feel…the Doctor's!" The pressure on his throat only increased after he said this and the full horror of the situation came crashing in on him. The Doctor wasn't just threatening him. He was actually trying to kill him! "You're… choking me!"

"That was the general idea," came the bland reply. "It's so incredibly easy. Just apply a little pressure…"

_And I die_, Jason thought as the fingers around his neck grew tighter. He fought back with what little strength he had, clawing at the hands at his throat. He felt himself growing weaker and weaker and was on the verge of unconsciousness when the pressure on his throat was suddenly released. He fell back, gulping in huge lungsful of air. The hands remained where they were and he realized with a jolt that his tormentor was simply toying with him, taking him to the brink of unconsciousness and then pulling him back.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked once he could speak. Tears were now streaming down his face, but he was not sure if it was due to his mounting terror or the thought of dying at the hands of his best friend. Possibly both.

"Tears, Jason?" the Doctor said as if this came as a shock. "Are you afraid?"

"Terrified."

"But you're an Alterran. Surely you can take _me._ I'm just a frail humanoid," the lunatic said in a mocking tone. He released his grip and leaned back, waving his hands in the air. "Why don't you just…use your powers? Change into something big and nasty."

_My powers?_ Jason's unseeing eyes were wide. _Something big and nasty? Where did that come from? Just what __did__ you see in my future, Doctor? _

"I can't…" he said in as even a tone as possible. "My system's too badly damaged. You know that." Suddenly the hands were back at his throat. "You're right. I do." The Doctor's voice went from light to malicious in a single breath. "Now where was I? Oh yes…" He started to squeeze with all his strength.

"Oh no!" Jason defiantly reached out and clawed at his attacker, racking his nails down the Time Lord's face. He was rewarded with a savage slap across the face that brought the taste of blood to his mouth.

"Ah, getting a little angry, are we?" the Doctor chided cruelly, catching hold of the Alterran's flailing arms and pinning them to the floor with his knees. "We can't have _that_. Must stay in control. I wouldn't want to be responsible for you going over the edge, now would I?"

"No!" Jason wailed as his arms were immobilized. "Let me go! Please, let me go!" He knew he should be angry, but all he could feel was an overwhelming terror rising like a tidal wave inside him. He should be furious! _Why wasn't he angry?_

"Let you go? But you just got here," the Time Lord replied tauntingly, watching with sadistic delight as his captive struggled unsuccessfully to free himself. "What's the matter, Jason? Too confining for you?"

"You're breaking my arms!"

"That's alright. You can fix them, can't you?"

Too panicked to reply, Jason was thrashing frantically in an attempt to get free, kicking his feet and squirming wildly without success. Inwardly he was glad he was already blind. The last thing he wanted was to see the face that went with the malevolent voice. A face that was no longer that of the friend he had entered the corridor to save.

The captive Alterran started to wail in fear and frustration, an action that only seemed to amuse his tormentor. "Oh, really," the Doctor moaned. "You're supposed to be reserved and unemotional like the rest of your species. That's what you've been striving for all these years, isn't it? Hasn't made that much difference as far as I can see."

_Species? _Even in his panic Jason's mind was clear enough to register this bizarre reference to his race. He let out a scream containing every ounce of terror he felt.

"That's quite enough of that," the Doctor snapped. He placed a hand over the Alterran's mouth, only to yelp in pain when his captive sank his teeth into it. "Damn you!" he snarled, pulling out his handkerchief and wrapping it around his hand. "You may have everyone else deceived with this human form, you abomination of nature, but I know the truth! You're nothing but a hideous, grotesque monstrosity!" He struck the Alterran several times across the face before returning his hands to Jason's throat.

The Doctor's words were so inexplicably malicious that Jason found himself shocked beyond comprehension. He did not even feel it when the lunatic slapped him across the face. Then Time Lord's fingers dug mercilessly into his flesh again and he wondered almost abstractly how many times he could be taken to the brink before he finally died of asphyxia. With a jolt he realized he didn't really care anymore and stopped fighting, feeling himself plummeting into the depths of despair.

Eventually the Alterran's wide disbelieving eyes rolled back into his head and his body went limp. The Doctor sat back, seeing himself reflected in the shiny surface of the wall before him, his face a vile twisted mask of pure evil. A face that was not his own.

It was at that moment that l'X'el stabilized the far end of the fractured time corridor and the Time Lord's body faded again. This time, the Doctor was able to fight his way through the contradictory timelines, his original self clawing through the power that had so completely overtaken him. In a blink, reality solidified and snapped back into focus, returning the Doctor to his proper place in time.

The events that had transpired in his absence suddenly exploded in the Doctor's mind, causing him to recoil. He fell to the floor, dazed and shaking, thinking he had just seen a vision of a possible reality. Then he saw the motionless form beside him and gave a small cry of anguish. _It wasn't a vision! It actually happened!_ Hequickly checked Jason for signs of life—and found none.

"No! Dammit, I will not let you die!"

He gave the Alterran's chest a sharp thump with his fist and started CPR. After a minute, a spasm shook Jason's body and was followed by a sharp gasp. His eyes snapped open and he rolled onto his side, gasping and choking violently as his body struggled to re-oxygenate itself.

Falling back against the wall, the Doctor put his head in his hands, his mind a wild jumble. He had a horrible feeling he knew what had happened, but was uncertain as to how it had been brought about or why it had been brought about at this particular time. He looked back at the timelines, seeing the second set fading in and out. This meant only on thing. Jason was dying. Unlike the Doctor, the Alterran was not a true time sensitive and could not stay in the fractured temporal corridor indefinitely. If he did not get out soon the unstable temporal energies would damage his partially shattered body beyond repair.

As if to verify this observation, the fracture lines on Jason's body suddenly increased in number. He gave a weak cry of pain and lost consciousness.

Drawing a deep breath, the Doctor gave his own timelines another look, seeing them in a whole new way. _How incredibly seductive_, he thought with a shudder, _and how insidiously evil_. Again he felt the power pulling at him but this time he pulled back and threw up a mental barrier. The instant he did this he heard laughter in the distance and stiffened visibly, recognizing it immediately. Somehow, he had known this was who was behind it all.

"Every step brings you closer to me, Doctor," the voice of the Valyard taunted.

"Not if I can help it," the Doctor replied defiantly. He pocketed the dropped energy tube before lifting Jason's limp form from the floor. "Come on," he said gently, "let's get you out of here."

"But you can't help it. You've just proven that. You can't change history, Doctor," the Valyard's voice mocked. "Not even here."

The Doctor looked in the direction of his disembodied tormentor. "You've got it backwards, don't you? You are not history. You're the future. And _you_ can't change what I know, not even here. The future—_my_ future—hasn't been written yet. The choices are _mine_ to make, not yours. I must be doing something right if you're getting this desperate." He turned in the direction Jason had appeared from, seeing a pinpoint of light in the distance.

"Don't flatter yourself, Doctor. It's inescapable! Mark my words," the voice continued tauntingly.

The Doctor felt a chill run down his spine but did not reply.

"Your friends will all drop away as the evil within you grows! You've just lost Jason. He'll _never_ trust you again. Who will you lose next?"

The Doctor looked down at Jason's battered form. "So _that's_ what this was about," he said under his breath. Drawing himself to his full height, he stated flatly, "You are an illusion. Everything in here is an illusion." Nodding towards the light, he said to his unconscious friend, "And that way leads to reality. That's where we're going."


	57. Reality

**CHAPTER 57**

**REALITY**

The Doctor would answer none of the questions that were thrown at him when he emerged from the temporal fissure, Jason's battered and limp form cradled in his arms. He ordered l'X'el to close everything down, and strode straight for the TARDIS, pausing only long enough for his companion to open the door for him. Grant threw a helpless look back at the trio before he too vanished into the time machine.

The Doctor was placing Jason on the sleeping mat on the control room floor when his companion entered. Uncertain what to do, Grant closed the doors and crossed to a chair that was near the Doctor's position but still far enough away not to irritate him. He could not help but notice the long scratches on either side of the Time Lord's face; Jason's previously unmarked face now bruised and bloodied. Grant had to fight the urge to ask innumerable questions as the Doctor rewrapped a handkerchief around what looked like a bite mark on the palm of his hand. He sat silently for several minutes, waiting for the usually loquacious Time Lord to speak. When he did not, the young man asked quietly, "Doctor, is Jason going to be alright?"

The Doctor looked up sharply, the scratches on his face standing out a livid red. He turned to his companion with an anguished expression on his face but made no reply, quickly looking away. How could he answer when he did not know himself? He was still trying to sort through the ocean of information filling his mind, his distress compounded by the crushing guilt that he could be capable of such vicious behavior. To his shock, his companion suddenly let out a cry of anguish. "I knew it. He's dying!" Grant moaned. "It's all my fault. I never should've let him go in. I told him he wasn't strong enough, but he wouldn't listen!"

Before the Doctor could think of a suitable reply, Jason stirred. The Time Lord reached out a hand only to stop, uncertain as to whether he should touch him. It turned out he did not need to as Jason came awake all at once. He took an enormous gulp of air, his eyes snapping open. He raised his hands defensively and one made contact with the outstretched hand, the Time Lord's aura registering instantly. Jason gave a cry that was a combination of fear and rage, seizing the hand and lashing out as he had with Grant. Unlike his companion, however, the Doctor was prepared for the attack and caught hold of the arm as it moved to strike him.

"No, let me go! Damn you, let me go!"

"Calm down, calm down," the Doctor soothed gently. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Liar!" the Alterran screamed, much to Grant's amazement. "It's all a power trip for you, isn't it!"

"Jason, stop this!" the Time Lord thundered. "It's over. You're in the TARDIS. You're safe."

In the past, the authority in his voice would have caused Jason to freeze instantly but this time it only caused him to scream with anger and fight even harder. The Doctor knew what he had to do next would only make the situation worse, however briefly, but he had to get his friend under control before he completely exhausted himself. Switching his hold on Jason's wrists, he rose up onto his knees and pinned the Alterran's arms to the floor. "Don't make me sit on you," he commanded, already having the full weight of his upper body across the struggling form to keep him down. "Now stop fighting me and listen!"

"Why? So you can issue more threats?"

"Be quiet and _listen!_"

Suddenly the only sound that could be heard was the combatants' heavy breathing. After a moment, Jason said bitterly, "I don't hear anything."

"Yes, you do," the Doctor replied breathlessly. "Now _listen_."

Again there was silence. After a few seconds the angry lines on Jason's face suddenly cleared as he realized he was hearing the quiet hum of the TARDIS around him. He struggled slightly when one of his hands was moved from the mat, only to relax when it was pressed against the floor, a clear invitation for him to scan it.

"The TARDIS," he said in a quiet, disbelieving voice. "We…we're in the TARDIS. This is the console room."

"Well done," the Doctor said with a sigh of relief. He released his grip and sat back.

"I…I don't understand," Jason said helplessly. "How…? How did I get here?"

"I carried you out of the time fissure that you so foolishly took upon yourself to enter."

The Doctor's patronizing tone only served to set Jason off again. "Damn you!" he shouted in rage, lashing out with his fist. This time he managed to strike the unprepared Time Lord, knocking him sideways. "Damn your condescending Gallifreyan hide! I just went through hell for you. Once, _just once_, the least you could do is be grateful without criticizing first!"

The Doctor was stunned by this outburst. "I am grateful."

"Are you? You're not sorry that one of my _species_ had to come in after you?"

"Jason…" The Doctor put a hand on his friend's shoulder, which only made matters worse.

"Don't touch me!" Jason cried, clawing at the hand to push it away. "Just don't touch me!"

"I'm not going to hurt you," came the patient reply. "Now, please, calm down. You are perfectly safe."

"Grant! Where's Grant? If this is the TARDIS, Grant should be here!"

The Doctor threw a pleading look in his companion's direction. "I am. I'm right here," the bewildered young man said quietly.

Jason relaxed slightly upon hearing this. He could feel his strength draining away and was keenly aware of his current vulnerability. He could not afford to let his anger fade, and with it his strength. Not until he knew he truly was safe.

"There, you see?" the Doctor said gently. "I'm not lying to you."

Jason closed his eyes and hugged himself. "_Why_?" he blurted out finally. His voice was trembling badly, and despite his best efforts, his anger was fading and shock was setting in. "Why did you? How could you…?" Too overcome to go on, his voice trailed off, the horrifying reality of what had happened suddenly falling in on him.

"Oh, Jason…" the Doctor sighed sadly. "I am so dreadfully sorry."

Jason covered his face with his trembling hands and turned away, his tears returning in full force. "Just what did you see in my future, Doctor?"

"Your future?" the Time Lord repeated softly

"How horrible do I become that you feel the need to destroy me now?"

"What? You think this has to do with...?" The Doctor closed his eyes and groaned. "How could you possibly think that?"

"Why else would you…? All this time I thought… What you said!" Unable to get his thoughts together, Jason cried, "Oh God…I don't understand…_anything_ anymore!"

The Doctor gave him a pained look. "You're in no condition to go into any of this now," he said quietly. He gently touched his distraught friend's shoulder, feeling his whole body go rigid in response.

"Don't—!"

"It's only your energy tube," the Time Lord informed softly, slipping it into his friend's hand. "Get some rest. We'll talk when you're stronger and your head is clearer."

Jason found himself nodding without realizing, which only added to his confusion. The last thing he wanted was to agree with anything his one-time-friend-turned-lunatic had to say. "Just go away," he moaned, unsuccessfully fighting back his tears. "Please, go away."

The Doctor closed his eyes, anguish written clearly across his usually bright and jovial features. He gave his companion a steady look that spoke volumes before disappearing into the depths of the TARDIS interior.

It took several minutes before Jason was able to get control of himself enough to speak again. "Grant?"

"I'm still here," the young man said quietly.

"Don't leave me."

"I won't."

"No, I mean, don't leave me even if _he_ asks you to."

Grant frowned, throwing a quick glance in the direction the Doctor had taken. "Just what happened in there? You both look like you've been through the mill."

"Something terrifying." Jason shuddered and closed his eyes tightly, curling further into a protective ball. In a small voice, he added, "And at the hands of a friend."

* * *

The Wieonol trio had done as the Doctor asked and sat waiting for him, or someone, to emerge from the TARDIS and tell them what to do next, if anything. They were certain the Doctor would return, as he had yet to retrieve his toolbox and the device he'd patched into the manipulator. With nothing better to do, l'X'el set the globe to track the progress of the approaching Alterran forces, watching as they grew closer and closer. From time to time he would check to make certain the Gres-Fa-Raayn had truly left the system and were not simply lurking somewhere, waiting to spring out the moment the barrier was lowered. So far, there was no sign of them, just the single trace of the ship that had fled from orbit.

* * *

The Doctor returned to the console room nearly an hour after vanishing into the vastness of the TARDIS interior. He had repaired the scratches on his face and hand and now looked completely unharmed—at least on the surface. He stood in the inner doorway silently watching Jason's sleeping figure. Grant was at the console reading a display and turned when he heard his name.

"Is he asleep?" the Doctor mouthed, receiving a nod in reply. He motioned his companion over. "A word," he said quietly.

Grant threw a nervous look in the Alterran's direction. He was keenly aware of his promise not to leave him, as well as completely confused as to why it was necessary. He went quietly to the door, refusing to cross to the other side. "I promised not to leave him alone," he explained, mentally adding, _"Even if you asked me to._

The Doctor lowered his head and sighed heavily and for a brief instant Grant wondered if he had just read his mind. "We'll leave the door ajar. I don't want to wake him."

His companion considered and nodded, entering the corridor and partially closing the door.

"Now, would you _please_ tell me how Jason got from the console room to the temporal fissure?" the Doctor asked pointblank. He held up a hand when a guilty expression came to the young man's face. "I'm not blaming you. I can probably guess how he got out of the TARDIS. Jason can be very…persuasive once he sets his mind to something."

The Doctor's voice was frighteningly calm and Grant felt a chill run down his spine, thinking he preferred it when the Time Lord was ranting. He drew a deep breath and explained what had happened, beginning with the alarm sounding on the TARDIS console.

* * *

When the Doctor returned to the manipulator room he was still withdrawn but did not ignore the boys' questions any longer. He simply stated that he and Jason had been battered within the malfunctioning corridor, the already debilitated Alterran having been overcome by the temporal energies. Because of this, he needed to remain in the TARDIS until he was completely healed. The Doctor then asked what the trio had been up to in his absence and was pleased to learn they had been doing something constructive. He was also pleased to learn that there were no signs of the Gres-Fa-Raayn fleet anywhere, not that he believed they would stay away forever. Still, it would give the Alterran forces some breathing space.

The Doctor finished disconnecting his device from the manipulator and returned it to his toolbox. He was about to hand it to one of the youths to take into the TARDIS and stopped himself. With all that had happened, the boys practically worshiped Jason, having turned him into their newest folk hero. The last thing they needed was to see the emotional wreck the Time Lord feared he had turned him into again.

"What's the ETA on the arrival of the Alterran fleet?" the Doctor asked conversationally.

K'ell'k glanced at the computer screen he had been monitoring. "Just under six hours."

"Good. Now if one of you—or all of you—would be so kind as to find SorRell and let her know what's been happening, I'd be most grateful."

"All of us?" l'X'el echoed.

The Doctor gave his a quizzical look. "Don't you want to see your parents? You started all this because of them, if I recall my facts correctly. And you've been cooped up down here ever since we arrived."

l'X'el exchanged a glance with his brother and then lowered his eyes. "I guess."

An amused smile came to the Time Lord's face. "l'X'el, you're a hero, you know."

"What? No. That's silly. I'm no hero."

"My dear child, _who_ do you think I've been telling everyone was responsible for getting me here in the first place? It was all _your_ doing."

By this time the young man was staring at the Time Lord in disbelief.

"It's true, Lix," his brother confirmed. "They were all asking about you when Cee and I went up before."

"Why didn't you tell me?" l'X'el wanted to know.

"I wasn't supposed to distract you," K'ell'k said, shooting a sideways glance in the Doctor's direction. "And then…I forgot."


	58. Difficult To Explain

**CHAPTER 58**

**DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN**

Grant had returned to his chair in the console room and was watching the activity in the manipulator room on the scanner.

The Doctor entered and quietly returned his toolbox to its storage locker. He threw a quick glance in his companion's direction, throwing a concerned look over at the apparently sleeping Jason who was lying with his back to him. It crossed his mind that he should at least put on an appearance of good spirits but simply could not manage it. With a resigned sigh, he turned his attention to the control console and began carefully returning all the controls to their proper settings. After several minutes and several circuits around the console, he gave a satisfied grunt. "Yes, that's done it," he said quietly, rubbing his hands together. Looking up, he drew a deep breath, giving his companion a steady look. Before he could say anything, however, Jason said quietly, "I'm awake."

This was so unexpected the Doctor actually jumped. "Do you feel up to talking?"

Jason rolled onto his back, his eyes staring blindly up at the ceiling. "I don't really know if I feel up to anything," he replied truthfully, "but I'm not going to panic."

"That's good." The Doctor started across the room, stopping dead in his tracks when Jason added, "So long as Grant stays."

"What?"

"Grant stays," Jason repeated firmly.

The Doctor closed his eyes, a pained look coming to his face. "Jason, I know you're uneasy—"

"_Uneasy!_ Doctor, you scared the hell out of me! I thought I knew you. But...my God, I don't know you at all anymore."

"It's far more complicated than—"

"I've been getting in your way ever since Florida," Jason went on forcefully. "I'm not the submissive go-along-with-whatever-the-Doctor-says companion anymore. People actually listen to me, and your over-inflated ego just can't take it. I may be blind, but I can still _see _that!"

"There's no need to be insulting. It has nothing to do with—" The Doctor broke off as Jason's words sank in. "Blind. You couldn't see. You couldn't _see__!_ Of course! Your whole sensor array is damaged." He let out a cry of annoyance, striking himself on the forehead. "Now I'm the one who's _blind!_" He charged around the room, the words tumbling out of him faster and faster. "The allure of all those different timelines the power to choose any one I wanted. The power to avoid—" He broke off, stiffening visibly before going on. "I'm such an idiot! I should've seen it sooner!"

"Seen what?" Jason wanted to know, managing to get a word in edgeways.

"A trap," the Doctor replied succinctly. "A very clever trap. You are not the only one with an inner demon to fight, Jason. And I'm very much afraid that you encountered mine first hand."

"What?" Jason asked bewilderment. "What are you talking about?"

"The temporal corridor was completely fractured, and my timeline got fractured along with it allowing the future—a _possible_ future—to fold into the present. Time, alternate time, and alternate dimensions all coexisting in a jumble. But _you_ couldn't see it. And when you touched me, you unbalanced my time field enough to allow an alternate reality to take over. An alternate version of myself."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Jason snapped. "It wasn't really you?"

"I didn't say that. I'm not very proud of—"

"You pompous bastard!"

"Jason, I am trying to explain! There's no need to be insulting."

"No need to be insulting?" Jason exploded. "You arrogant, egotistical, condescending, thinly veiled tyrant! I am sick to death of stroking your ego! After two hundred years, what thanks do I get? You use my every weakness against me. Ridicule my strengths. You were violent, cruel, and sadistic. And now you expect me to believe that all that bile didn't come from you! Dammit, Doctor, you tried to _kill_ me!"

Grant's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "What?" he gasped in a horrified whisper.

"It's true!" Jason went on forcefully. "Look at me, for pity sake. He attacked me. Didn't even hesitate. Why should he? I can't transmute. I can barely fight back!"

"That has nothing—" the Doctor objected, only to be cut off again.

"Dammit, you enjoyed tormenting me." Correcting himself, Jason's voice lowered in pitch and took on an even sharper accusing edge. "No, you were _intoxicated_ by it. You were like a man possessed. You—" He broke off as is own words suddenly exploded in his mind. He sank back, his unseeing eyes wide. "A man…possessed…" he repeated in a small voice. "Oh my God…"

"That's what I've been _trying _to tell you," the Doctor cried in exasperation, finally managing to complete a sentence. "I was _not_ me! Here. Now. That is _not_ who I am!"

Jason closed his eyes and hugged himself, suddenly feeling very cold. He drew a deep breath and fought to get himself back under control. "It _was_ you."

"You're sure?"

"Doctor, you've already established that I know your aura in my sleep. Even when you switched places with the Master, I knew who you were."

"Then why did you stop calling me by name?"

Jason opened his mouth to answer, only to stop, a stunned look coming to his face. "I…I… don't know." He closed his eyes and shivered.

"You can only pick up physical characteristics, not personality changes. And with your sensors out of commission, you couldn't tell the difference between me and the alternate version." The Doctor's voice lowered as he added, "That's what he was counting on."

"What _who_ was counting on?"

The Doctor hesitated before replying, "A twisted, evil individual I am trying very hard to avoid. He, on the other hand, is doing everything in his power to steer me in his direction."

"Why?" This was Grant, who was hanging onto the conversation by a thread.

"Because he is a future—far future, thankfully—version of myself. Make that _possible_ version. Somehow he's managed to manifest himself and is trying to take control of my present. He is a twisted, evil—"

"Abomination to nature," Jason said suddenly, his venomous tone causing the Time Lord to stiffen visibly. "You called _me_ an abomination to nature."

"Yes…"

Jason spoke each of the next words in a precise and deliberate manner. "A hideous, grotesque monstrosity."

"Jason…"

"Was that your true feelings coming out through this _alternate _self?"

"_No!_" the Doctor snapped.

Jason snorted and turned away. "Then answer me this. If it wasn't you, how do you know what happened? How do you remember events that you claim you weren't a party to?"

"Would you believe me even if I told you?"

The Alterran remained silent, causing the Time Lord to sigh heavily. In an earnest tone he said, "Jason, I can only repeat that I am _desperately_ sorry you had to be on the receiving end of all that."

Jason continued in his silence. He put a hand to his head, struggling to reconcile what he was being told with what he already knew. There was so much! How could he possibly sift through it all? And he was so desperately tired after fighting to—_Fighting._ He had been angry and fighting back in the console room, but in the temporal corridor he had been so overwhelmed with terror that he could barely fight for his life. Why was it suddenly so easy to get angry again? Try as he might he simply could not get angry while inside the temporal corridor. Had he too slipped into an alternate reality where his volatile temper did not exist?

"Can you accept any of this?" the Doctor said at last. "More importantly, can you forgive me and get past it?"

"I…I… Oh, I don't know," Jason moaned. "I suppose intellectually I can accept what you say. Heaven knows we've seen stranger things."

"And emotionally?"

"Emotionally?" Jason gave a bitter laugh. "Doctor, I'm an emotional train wreck; you said so yourself. I can't get past what happened ten years ago. How am I supposed to get past this?"

The pained look that came to the Doctor's face was so heart-wrenching that Grant almost felt like crying. "That's your decision to make," the Time Lord said at last. "I only ask that you wait until you're stronger before making any final commitments."


	59. On The Mend

**CHAPTER 59**

**ON THE MEND  
**

The Doctor went to meet with Commanders Tolan and SorRell shortly after the Alterran relief ships arrived. SorRell was appalled when finally told how severely injured Prince Jason had been during the ultrasonic attack. "Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded.

"I didn't want to worry you," the Time Lord informed apologetically.

"I could've had a medical team down there," SorRell countered angrily.

"Not too much they could've done, is there?" Tolan pointed out. "You were sent with minimal provisions. Doesn't exactly equip you to deal with the effects of a sonic disruption."

SorRell gave him a dark look, although she had to admit that he was right.

"Looks like the plans to phase out the countermeasures will be scraped, doesn't it?" Tolan remarked to SorRell.

The Doctor blinked. "What? When was this supposed to happen?"

"It was _supposed_ to start last year, but got bogged down in bureaucratic red-tape."

"Thank goodness for red-tape," SorRell injected. "Otherwise we'd all be in need of medical attention and not just Prince Jason."

"Talking of which, I must be getting back. If you'll excuse me, I have a timeline to untangle and a companion to retrieve." With that, the Doctor turned on his heel and left.

* * *

Jason sat cross-legged on the sleeping mat in the TARDIS control room contemplating the energy tube cupped in his open hands. After absorbing enough energy to heal his damaged body completely, he was hesitant to try. He had been mulling over everything that had happened over the past few weeks, finding the total darkness of blindness strangely illuminating. It allowed him to strip away all superfluous details and concentrate on what was truly important. He had been going over the events, analyzing each incident that he found troubling at the time, only to still find them troubling now. The most troubling, of course, was the most recent, and quite possibly the most important. The incident in the time corridor. With everything that had happened, would he be able get past his misgivings about the Time Lord's darker side? Darker? Demonic was more like it.

At that moment, the Doctor strode through the exterior doors. He saw Jason alone in the room and stopped dead. "Where's Grant?" he asked.

"I sent him to get some sleep. The poor boy's exhausted."

The Time Lord threw a quick glance over at the interior door. Uncertain how to proceed, he informed conversationally, "Tolan's sent some scouts to make sure the Elite forces have left the area properly. He also wants to send a medical team down to check you over,"

Jason stiffened, waving a hand in the air. "Oh no, I'm not seeing a battery of Healers."

"That's what I thought. I told him you were on the mend." Pausing a beat, the Doctor asked seriously, "You _are _on the mend, aren't you?"

The Alterran nodded slowly. "Physically, yes. I don't know if my poor shattered psyche will ever recover, though."

The Doctor studied his friend a moment before saying, "I'll go if you'd rather…"

"No, I didn't mean it that way. My head is a lot clearer than it was earlier," Jason said quickly. After a thoughtful pause, he said, "I thought...out there, I thought…I really must've messed up in the future."

"What ever made you think that?" the Time Lord wanted to know.

"You wouldn't tell me anything when I asked. And yet…you've been so critical of everything I do that I just thought..."

"Oh, Jason, I am sorry." The Doctor put his hands on the console and leaned forward, sighing heavily. Shaking his tangle of blond curls, he said, "You've taken the bad end of things since the start of all this—and I don't mean what happened out there. I've been pushing you to go on even when you insisted that you couldn't, and then I go and step in—without even asking—when I thought things were too much for you. I tell you to stop looking back and then turn around and ask you to share your past with Grant. I thought I was helping but I only seem to've made matters worse."

The Alterran nodded in agreement.

"I knew something was troubling you," the Doctor went on. "It never occurred to me that I might be the cause. You're usually more forthright in these matters."

Jason smiled briefly. "You're right. I don't know why I didn't say anything sooner. I thought you were dropping vague hints. I wasn't sure how to take them." He held up the energy tube. "And I'm still not sure what to do. I have enough energy to heal myself but…I'm afraid to."

"Afraid? Why?"

"Because once I'm back to normal…" Jason chose his next words carefully. "Once I'm back to normal, I'm back to being dangerous."

The Doctor was taken aback by this remark. It was not the reply he expected, despite the fact that he knew it to be the literal truth.

"I couldn't get angry in the corridor, but I could in the console room. And I still couldn't—" Jason broke off and sighed. "If I'd been healthy, you might not've gotten out alive, and that scares me. At least like this I'm not a threat to anyone."

The Doctor could not help but laugh at this. "My dear Jason, you managed to drag yourself out of the TARDIS, get the opening to an unstable temporal fissure stabilized, walk into it and then face the horrors you found there when you were completely blind and on the point of total exhaustion. And for that I owe you my thanks _and _my life. It's that strong will of yours that's the key to who you are, _not_ your temper. It's what has kept you alive all these years against the most insurmountable odds."

Jason sat staring into the darkness before his eyes, realizing suddenly that he was still running away—from himself and his own future. A future he feared as an abstract, but his friend had already seen as reality. For better or for worse he was going to have to face it—eventually.

Resigning himself to the inevitable, Jason drew a deep breath, his body shimmering as he transmuted. He returned to his true form for a few seconds, fully repairing his sensor array before returning to his familiar human appearance. For the first time in what seemed like years, he could see clearly and what he saw was the Doctor at the control console, the expression on his face one of sadness rather than joy.

Jason's eyes narrowed suspiciously. _What's going on in that mind of his now?_ With a small smile, he said mildly, "It's good to see you again."

"Is it?" the Time Lord asked pointedly.

"What do you mean?"

"I've completely lost your trust, haven't I?" the Doctor observed sadly. "And I don't know what to do or say to repair the damage."

"What…? How…?" Jason drew a deep breath. "Doctor, how am I supposed to respond to that?"

"I don't know. I'm beginning to believe that this whole incident was orchestrated so that I would lose your trust and friendship."

"What? Starting when?"

"I'm not sure," the Doctor replied truthfully. "As a future version of myself, my alternate knows everything _I_ do. I suspect he's the one who told the Elite about the sonic disturbance. With your sensor array inoperative, you couldn't see or sense the time fields fading in and out."

Jason blinked. "No, but _l'X'el_ could," he said under his breath.

"The damaged temporal corridor was the perfect place for him to manipulate my current timeline—and you along with it."

"How?"

The Doctor studied his friend a moment. "Just look at you. Even back to normal you're afraid to come near me." He waved a hand to indicate the distance between them. Jason had not moved from his place across the room. "Any other time you'd've been bounding over here annoying me with a hug. You've completely shut down emotionally."

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Stay in control?" came the astringent reply.

"Now who's being vague?" The Doctor's eyes narrowed. "He really got under your skin, didn't he? Was it the insult or my having said it that you can't get past?"

The Alterran gave him a dark look. "Does it really matter? Whoever or whatever this person is—or was—he didn't get his way, did he? You're still here. I'm still here—"

"Yes," the Time Lord interrupted, "but you're not the same person who walked into that time corridor. You've changed."

"Damn right, I've changed!" Jason exclaimed. "What do you expect? This demonic side of you appears out of nowhere and I'm just supposed to go on like nothing happened?"

"No. But I don't want this single incident to drive you away, either."

"Why? Will that affect the future in some terrible, dark and foreboding way?" The look Jason got in reply made him stiffen visibly. "Oh no, don't you give me that look, Doctor'" he scolded. "We both know that some events can _never_ be altered. I mean, just look at what we've just been through. The El'Li'Ono accord. You told me about it weeks ago, but it won't become official history for another..." His voice trailed off as a sudden thought struck him. "History. _History!_ That's it, isn't it?" he gasped. "I'm not the same person, that's what you said. I've _changed_. And if I continue in this change, somewhere along the line history will change. _That's_ what's got you so scared."

The Doctor was still leaning against the console, his head lowered. He closed his eyes as Jason's last statement struck home. He could think of at least one future incident that hinged on the Alterran's unquestioning trust in him.

Able to read his friend's body language for the first time since the events in the corridor, Jason scrutinized the man across the room. He looked like a man with the weight of the universe on his shoulders. "Nothing to say, Doctor?" he said at last.

The Time Lord drew a deep breath and straightened, looking his friend in the eye. "What would you have me say? I've told you all I can. Whether you accept it or not is up to you."

"You're not making this very easy, you know?" Jason muttered darkly. After another agonizing pause, he said quietly, "Look, I'm willing to accept your explanation of what happened in the time corridor. Like I said, we've seen stranger things happen." He crossed to the control console, looking his friend in the eye. "I am also willing to accept your apology—but only under one condition."

The Doctor gave him a sideways look. "Which is?"

"That you also forgive _yourself_. For as long as I've known you, you've been forcing me to forgive myself for every enraged outburst, every eruption of Mt. Jason." With a small smile, Jason added, "Now I'm returning the favor."

"You're sure you can put this behind you—racial slurs and all? Without reservations?"

An uncertain expression crossed the Alterran's face. "I'm willing to try if you are."

"Even if I am an arrogant, egotistical, thinly veiled tyrant?"

Jason gave him a stern, unapologetic look. "You forgot condescending, pompous bastard," he said bluntly. Before the Doctor could reply, he held up a hand. "Don't even try to deny it. I _have_ been stroking your ego for two centuries. I can overlook your arrogance. You're a Time Lord. It seems to be a requirement."

The Doctor gave an indignant snort.

"And I will concede that you are a certified genius and quite possibly the most brilliant person I have ever met."

"_But…_"

"_But_ this regeneration only seems to have magnified the egocentric part of your personality. In all your recent pontifications, you've overlooked the fact that you are not the only one in the universe with a brain in his head."

"_Pontifications?"_

Jason ignored the interruption. "Not _all_ of my extensive and, I might add, rather impressive abilities are dangerous. I do know what I'm doing most of the time, and I happen to be extremely good at it. That's probably because I'm _almost_ as intelligent as you are. It would be nice to have that acknowledged once in a while rather than criticized and looked down on."

"I do not look down on you!" came the defensive reply.

Jason gave him a challenging look through his eyelashes, saying nothing.

"Although…" the Doctor added hesitantly, "I will concede that there _may_ have been times in the past when it _appeared_ that way."

The Alterran could not prevent an amused smirk from coming to his face. "There, that wasn't so painfully hard, was it?"

"Excruciating." After a pause, the Doctor asked, "I take it I'm forgiven?"

Jason drew himself to his full height and met his gaze levelly. "What do you think?"


	60. Testing A Theory

**CHAPTER 60**

**TESTING A THEORY  
**

"You're going to need l'X'el again." This was Jason, who had listened in silence as the Doctor carefully laid out his plan to straighten out his companions' tangled timelines.

"It might be a good idea to tell Grant what we're up to as well," the Time Lord replied, adding quietly to himself, "Although I've no idea how we're going to recreate the chronon readings."

"I'll get Grant. You'll probably have better luck finding l'X'el out there," Jason said as he turned toward the inner door. He glanced at the scanner and stopped. "Now that's what I call timing." The Doctor followed his gaze, seeing the young man in question peeking through the doors of the manipulator room, the others in tow. "Indeed," he agreed.

"I'll see if I can find Grant while you deal with your small but loyal following."

"I think their loyalties lay elsewhere, Mr. Ambassador," the Doctor said knowingly, causing the Alterran to stop dead and turn, a puzzled look on his face.

"I thought you were the folk hero around here," Jason remarked, struggling to keep the accusing edge from his voice.

"My dear Jason, they're worried about you. That's probably why they came back," the Doctor informed knowingly. "They watched you save K'ell'k's life, their families, their planet and then me, very nearly dying in the process. I may be a folk hero, but _you_ are their champion." He received a stunned look in reply. "Is _that_ acknowledgment enough for you?" he asked before turning and vanishing through the exterior doors.

l'X'el had entered first and was surprised and delighted to see the TARDIS still standing in the far corner of the room. He was surprised again when the Doctor suddenly appeared at the door and called to him. "l'X'el, just in time. I need your expertise on the manipulator one last time. Now that we have the Gres-Fa-Raayn sorted out, I need to get my companions sorted out."

l'X'el exchanged glances with his brother and Pr'Ce'el before nodding. "What ever you say, Doctor. What do you want me to do?"

The Time Lord waved a hand at the manipulator. "You can get this contraption up and run ning again for a start."

"Doctor," Pr'Ce'el injected hesitantly, "how is Jason?"

"He tells me he's better. And for once, I agree with him."

Several minutes later the fully recovered Jason came out of the TARDIS dragging the sleeping mat behind him. "Hey gang," he said happily, waving a hand at the astonished trio.

"Did you find Grant?" the Doctor inquired practically.

"He's in the console room awaiting instructions." Jason dumped the mat near the door, greeting his loyal followers at the same time. He pulled a box seemingly from nowhere and tossed it to the Doctor. "I brought that, too. I think you'll find the last scan of interest."

The Doctor caught the box that turned out to be the scanner he had used to detect the chronon particles. His eyes widened when he saw the reading. "What did you scan that had a reading this high?" he asked in amazement.

"Me."

The Doctor looked up sharply. "_You?_"

The Alterran nodded. "We're both saturated with chronons again. Looks like something good came out of our lengthy stay in the time fissure after all."

A quick scan confirmed what Jason already knew to be a fact and the Doctor gave a satisfied grunt. "That will make things considerably easier…_I hope_."

"Just what are you hoping to accomplish with this thing anyway?" Jason asked, indicating the manipulator.

"Just testing a theory."

"Improvising, you mean."

"You might say that."

"I did say that."

The Doctor looked up sharply and turned, seeing his friend's eyes sparkling above an amused smile. Jason had started to banter with him again, a good indication that he had truly forgiven him and possibly that he was willing to trust him.

The Time Lord grinned back before explaining that he hoped the manipulator would be able to show where the timelines had been altered. After that, he would try to reverse the affects, returning Grant to his proper place in time and retrieving Mel from the limbo she had very likely been consigned to. His feeling was that when the TARDIS bumped into the temporal rift emanating from the manipulator, it had overlapped with itself somewhere along his own timeline. Everyone in the TARDIS who had been exposed to the chronons were shifted to the time machine's alternate self, which was why Grant and the others did not think anything out of the ordinary had occurred.

"So why didn't we run into your past self?" Jason asked logically.

The Doctor opened his mouth only to close it again, a puzzled look coming to his face. "I don't know. Perhaps I cancelled out the affect on myself. None of the companions who popped up were from a past self. That's why I think it's my _current_ timeline that's been affected and not theirs."

The Alterran nodded sagely. "You know, I can't help wondering if any time on the other end has actually passed. From what you told me, Grant didn't notice any difference in his quick switch. Is it possible the exchanges have, well…frozen the past?"

The Doctor gave him a stunned look, having never considered this possibility. "That's a very nasty thought if we can't get this to work," he remarked. He was almost relieved when l'X'el announced, "Doctor, I think I've found it!"

The Time Lord looked up and pointed at what looked like a band of ribbon folded over and over on itself. "Yes. There!" There were streaks of light connecting some of the folds that he explained were where the exchanges had taken place.

"Which is the first exchange?" Jason asked, studying the image with the same intensity as the Doctor. "I can't make it out."

"Neither can I, now that you mention it." The Doctor moved alongside l'X'el, his fingers flying over the keys. He looked from computer to globe and back as he made his entries. A minute later the image moved in closer, isolating the folds. "Let's have the system analyze the readings. Then we'll be able to tell the order the connections were made."

"But they were just random encounters in space/time," Jason objected.

The Doctor laughed. "Like all our most recent random encounters courtesy of l'X'el," he pointed out. The lines between the folds started to flash. "Aha! There you are." He pointed triumphantly at the image. "The brightest lines are the newest. Give me another minute and I should be able to come up with the exact position we're looking for."

Jason nodded, throwing a glance at the TARDIS. "And you're sure can you duplicate it?"

The Doctor held up a hand and crossed his fingers. "I can but try."

* * *

The Doctor entered the space/time coordinates into the TARDIS's navigation system, checking and rechecking them to make certain nothing went wrong. Jason and Grant had taken up a position by the inner door for no other reason than to simply stay out of the way.

Finally Grant could stand it no longer and asked the question that had been worrying him since he learned of the temporal bump. "If this works, what happens to me?"

Jason gave him a puzzled look. "What do you mean? Nothing happens to you."

"Doesn't it?" the young man retorted forcefully. "You've both been so worried about this… Mel and what happened to her. What about me? Do I get consigned to limbo?"

The Doctor exchanged a baffled look with Jason, completely thrown by this unexpected outburst. "I thought we'd gone over this the last time around."

"I was too afraid to say anything then," Grant confessed finally.

"You didn't come to any harm before, did you?"

"Before what?"

"When you swapped places with—" The Doctor's eyes narrowed. "You weren't even aware of it, were you? You've swapped places with someone else once already. When we went to the tunnels on Heladin Alpha."

Too stunned to answer, Grant turned a questioning look in Jason's direction.

The Alterran shrugged. "Don't look at me. I wasn't there. I only know what the Doctor told me. But if his theory is right, you'll just go back to where you were before all this happened." Glancing across the room, he added, "And with the Doctor you had before all this happened, too. He won't be aware of any of this, either. If he had been, he'd've remembered by now."

"That's quite true," the Doctor said in a startled tone. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Of course you hadn't," Jason snorted.

"I can't think of everything! Why else do you think I have companions?"

Jason gave him a devilish look. "To listen to your unintelligible theories and stand in awe your brilliance."

The Doctor shot him a sideways glance before breaking into a broad smile. "Well, there's that too," he agreed self-consciously. "I must keep my ego inflated."

"Don't I know it."

Grant was having enough trouble getting his head around the previous explanation and groaned when the two started their verbal fencing. "I think I liked it better when you two were fighting. At least I could keep up with that."

"Sorry," Jason grinned. "What's bothering you now?"

"Well, if I say anything about what happened when I get back, the Doctor will think I'm crazy."

"Ah, the joys of time travel," the Alterran sighed knowingly.

"I don't know if I can handle that. What if I make a mistake and mention you? How do I explain knowing who you are?"

The Doctor looked up expectantly. "Now _that _is a very intelligent question," he observed proudly. "Do you have an intelligent answer, Jason?"

The Alterran gave him a dark look, choosing not to rise to the bait. "Doctor, your theory is that _this_ is the TARDIS Grant was in and that we're the ones who shifted into it. Right?"

"Yes…"

A smile spread across Jason's face. "Then I have an idea." Turning to Grant, he said, "But you're going to have to help me. I can't touch anything or I'll shield it with chronons." He nodded to the inner door and Grant held it open allowing Jason to pass. The bewildered young man looked at the Doctor, who shrugged and waved him to follow.

As his friends went to do whatever it was they were going to do, the Doctor went back into the manipulator room to give his final instructions to l'X'el.

* * *

After checking and rechecking everything, the Doctor closed the exterior doors and stood with his hand hovering over the dematerialization switch. He gave his companions a reassuring smile. "Well, here goes," he said with far more confidence than he felt. The time rotor lit up and started to rise and fall sluggishly. "Come on, old girl," the Time Lord encouraged, giving the console a gentle pat. "You can do it. Just one last time…for me."

Grant gave Jason a nervous sideways glance. He opened his mouth to say something just as the console room started to distort, throwing him back against the inner door. He fell through it and into the corridor beyond.

Jason had taken up a position where he had been when the distortion struck the first time. This time he was thrown back against the exterior doors. The room continued its dizzying contortions as before, finally returning to normal. "I hope that's the last time I have to go through that," he said as he hesitantly released his grip on the wall and shook his head to clear it. He saw the Doctor grinning like the Cheshire cat and followed his gaze, seeing Mel's exercise equipment back where it belonged. "That's one," the Doctor observed brightly.

Jason turned sharply back to the corner beside him, seeing his cartload of belongings exactly where it had been before.

"That's two," the Time Lord went on.

A split second later a breathless Mel burst through the inner door, looking from one to the other. With a grin of mutual delight, the Doctor and Jason said in unison, "And that's three."


	61. Back In Time

**CHAPTER 61**

**BACK IN TIME  
**

After being thrown through the inner door, Grant had continued on, slamming into the far wall with such force that his glasses were knocked from his face. He dropped to the floor and wisely chose to stay there as the nauseating contortions continued. When the world finally seemed to return to normal, he shook his head to clear it, struggling to a sitting position. As he sat wondering what to do next, the door opened and the Doctor emerged, calling out at the same time. "Grant, did you feel—?" The Time Lord was instantly at his companion's side. "Are you alright?"

"I think so. I hit my head," the boy replied shakily, a hand going to the back of his head. It came away with blood on it.

"So you did. Come on, let's get you patched up." The Doctor helped his shaken companion to his feet, scooping up his eyeglasses at the same time. He took two steps and stopped dead, staring at a door that, to him, had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Now where did that come from?" he muttered, peering though the door. An involuntary cry escaped him when he saw the sickbay on the other side.

"What's the matter?"

Glancing down at his companion, the Doctor said, "I think the TARDIS is trying to apologize for her little tantrum just now. She's brought the sickbay to closer quarters."

Grant smiled knowingly but did not reply, following the Doctor into the room where the cut on his head was treated. On the counter across the room he saw Jason's collar of rank, which he himself had brought from the Alterran's old room and placed there. The original plan had been for him to fake being ill after the TARDIS's violent upheaval, but the TARDIS herself had had other ideas, apparently aiding in the deception of her master.

When the Doctor was finished with his ministrations, Grant put on his glasses and went to the counter. "Doctor, what's this?" he asked in as casual a tone as possible, picking up the collar.

"Now where did that come from?" the Time Lord wanted to know, taking the object and looking wistfully at it. The memories of its owner came to mind and he smiled. "You trying to tell me something, old thing?" he said to the TARDIS, looking up at the ceiling.

Grant was intrigued by this reaction. He was also glad Jason had coached him on the best way to handle the situation. He never would have known how to tease the information from the Doctor otherwise. "What is it?" he asked again.

The Doctor came out of his daze and smiled. "Oh, just something that belonged to a friend. A very old, very dear friend."

"Who left his belongings in the sickbay of your TARDIS?"

"Ah, yes, well. Companions have a tendency to do that, you see. Leave their belonging lying about. He was a doctor, as it happens. That's probably how this ended up in here." The Doctor handed the collar back to his companion and headed for the door, apparently satisfied that this was the end of the subject.

"How did you meet him?" Grant asked as he followed the Doctor from the room.

The Doctor scowled down at him. "Why do you ask?"

"You never tell me anything. You mention all these people like I should know who they are." Attempting to make his voice more forceful, Grant said, "The last time you did it, I decided I would ask the next time someone from your past came up."

The Time Lord stopped, studying his companion's expectant expression. "Fair enough," he said at last. "The collar belonged—_belongs_—to a former traveling companion by the name of Jason Krystovan. I met him on his home planet Tel-Shye…"

* * *

Mel was looking at the Doctor and Jason as if they had just lost their minds. She had burst into the console room and announced that l'X'el and K'ell'k had vanished from the sickbay only to have them explode into a fit of laughter.

"I'm not joking!" she said forcefully. "This is serious."

"We know," Jason replied. He crossed to her and gave her an enormous hug, planting a kiss on her cheek. "There's so much to tell you, I don't know where to start," he said happily.

"Don't overdo it, Jason," the Doctor admonished. With a smile of affection, he said, "You've been missing, Mel. Lost in space/time for a bit. And we've had a devil of a time getting you back again."

"Missing? What are you talking about?" Mel put her hands on her hips. "First the TARDIS tries to turn inside out, l'X'el and K'ell'k disappear right in front of me, and now you two are acting like I've been on the moon."

"Not quite the moon," the Doctor replied, his hands manipulating the controls. Looking up, he said to Jason, "Looks as though your theory about time being frozen was spot on."

"I'm glad I was right about something. Should make things easier for Grant."

"Which reminds me. Satisfy my curiosity. _What_ did you do for Grant?"

Jason laughed. "I had him put my collar in the sickbay. After the switch he was going to find it and ask you about it—and me."

A stunned look came to the Doctor's face. "Good grief, he did at that," he said in a startled voice. "The TARDIS—" Breaking off, he gave a laugh. "The TARDIS played up one day and Grant struck his head in the corridor. I took him to the sickbay, which had inexplicably changed location, and…"

"The rest is history," Jason concluded with a grin.

The room was filled with the sound of the TARDIS materializing as it returned to its original location in the manipulator room. "Now, Mel," the Doctor said as he closed everything down, "time to get you caught up on what's been happening in your absence."

Mel scowled, and looked questioningly up at Jason. "Is he serious, or have you both gone completely mad?"

"Neither of us is mad, thank goodness," Jason replied with a grin. "And, amazingly, he's completely serious,"

"Come and meet some friends," the Doctor said as he pulled the door lever. "We'll tell you all about it." So saying, he vanished through the door.

"It's a long and complicated story." An odd look passed over Jason's face and he turned an affectionate gaze in the direction the Time Lord had taken. "And it looks like it may have a happy ending."

"It's a story that's getting longer by the second," the Doctor called through the door. "Come on, you two. I'm not getting any younger."

* * *

Random Chance © 2003 Margaret Price is an original work written for the enjoyment of Doctor Who fans everywhere. No copyright infringement is intended.  
Thank you to Steve Lyons for the creation of Grant Markham.  
And to Steve Parkhouse and John Ridgway for giving us Frobisher.  
Original series broadcast on the BBC. Format © BBC 1963  
Doctor Who and Tardis are trademarks of the BBC  
The story and all other original characters are © Margaret Price

* * *

The next story in this series is another Sixth Doctor epic called _"Trials and Transmutations,"_ and is actually two stories in one.


End file.
